THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 


The  Efficient  Kitchen 


DEFINITE  DIRECTIONS  FOR  THE 
PLANNING.  ARRANGING  AND 
EQUIPPING  OF  THE  MODERN 
LABOR-SAVING  KITCHEN—A 
PRACTICAL  BOOK  FOR  THE 
HOME-MAKER.*.  .'•'.  .'.  .'.  .'. 


BY 


GEORGIE  BOYNTON  CHILD 

OF   THE  HOUSEKEEPING  EXPERIMENT  STATION 
STAMFORD,  CONN. 


EDITED  AND  ARRANGED  BY 

LOUISE  BOTNTON 


NEW  YORK 

McBRIDE,  NAST  &  COMPANY 
1914 


Copyright,    1914,    by 
GEORGIE  BOYNTON  CHILD 

All  rights  reserved,  including 
that  of  translation  into  foreign 
languages,  including  the  Scan- 
dinavian. 


DEDICATED 

TO 

MY  THREE   SISTERS 

WHOSE  LOVING  COOPERATION 

HAS   MADE   POSSIBLE 

THE  WRITING  OF 

THIS  BOOK 


INTRODUCTION 

TEN  years  ago  my  husband  and  I  started 
home-making  in  a  Western  city.  We 
had  youth,  ideals  and  a  college  education 
apiece;  and  while,  like  many  other  young  people, 
we  had  no  experience  of  married  life,  our  early 
training  as  members  of  large  families  had  given 
us  a  respect  for  practical  work  and  a  great  love  of 
home.  After  graduating  from  college  I  had  kept 
house  for  two  years  for  my  father  and  mother,  and 
for  seven  years  had  been  business  manager  of  a 
daily  newspaper  which  my  sister  and  I  owned  and 
ran.  My  husband  was  a  technical  chemist  for  a 
large  Trust  which  had  plants  in  different  parts  of 
the  country. 

Our  income  at  the  time  was  scarcely  $1,300. 
But  with  a  generous  trousseau  to  solve  the  problem 
of  clothes,  and  wedding  presents  to  make  our  little 
home  artistic  and  attractive,  we  were  able  to  live 
very  comfortably  during  the  first  year  on  less  than 
$1,000. 

We  started  our  married  life  in  one  of  the  charm- 
ing five-room  cottages  which  have  been  so  largely 
developed  in  Colorado  and  California,  and  which 
ease  the  physical  burden  of  the  care  of  the  house  in 
such  a  wonderful  way.  We  had,  even  in  those 

vii 


viii  INTRODUCTION 

days,  a  washing  machine,  an  electric  iron,  one  of 
the  labor-saving  roasting  pans,  and  several  other  effi- 
cient labor-saving  devices.  Therefore  our  house- 
keeping problems  were  reduced  to  the  simplest  pos- 
sible proportions. 

In  the  four  years  during  which  babies  one,  two 
and  three  arrived,  we  were  fortunate  in  securing 
excellent  help,  and  doubly  fortunate  in  having  our 
income  increase  to  meet  the  extra  expense  involved. 
From  that  time  on,  however,  with  three  babies  to 
claim  the  lion's  share  of  all  my  work  and  care,  our 
living  expenses  jumped  from  less  than  $1,000  to 
$2,000  a  year,  without  any  change  in  our  standard 
of  living.  During  those  years  the  cost  of  living 
began  also  to  steadily  advance,  so  that  the  purchas- 
ing power  of  the  fixed  income  must  be  increased 
by  constant  study  in  buying  more  wisely  and  work- 
ing more  effectively.  College  and  business  training 
had  taught  me  the  advantage  of  systematic  meth- 
ods, of  effective  ways  of  arranging  work  and  of 
diplomatic  and  considerate  treatment  of  help.  So 
our  little  home  always  ran  smoothly.  And  when 
hard  pulls  came,  as  they  often  did,  I  had  al- 
ways the  loving  cooperation  of  my  husband  in  over- 
coming them.  We  would  take  "  shifts  "  with  the 
night  care  of  the  babies,  or  he  would  run  the  wash- 
ing machine  for  an  hour  before  he  went  to  work 
if  the  laundress  failed  me.  Thus,  like  the  noble 
Gareth,  we  were  forced  to  win  our  knighthood 
through  apprenticeship  in  "  villain  kitchen  vassal- 


INTRODUCTION  ix 

age  " ;  nor  did  we  find  it  any  undue  hardship.  In- 
deed had  it  lasted  only  for  "  a  twelve-month  and  a 
day  "  this  little  book  would  never  have  been  writ- 
ten. 

But  as  the  years  went  on  and  we  moved  East 
and  lived  in  awkward,  badly  arranged  Eastern 
houses,  and  tried  to  do  efficient  work  in  kitchens 
diabolically  contrived  to  waste  every  human  effort; 
as  we  found  ourselves  unable  to  get  gas  for  cook- 
ing in  country  houses,  and  did  not  know  of  any 
resource  to  take  its  place;  as  help  of  the  right  sort 
became  almost  impossible  to  secure;  and  as  the 
"  high  cost  of  living  "  made  constantly  heavier  de- 
mands upon  us,  we  decided  at  last  that  we  would 
have  a  Fourth  of  July,  that  we  would  make  a  great 
and  final  effort  to  free  ourselves  from  the  power  of 
a  tyrant  that  only  seemed  to  tighten  his  hold  the 
more  sacrifices  we  made  to  his  inordinate  demands. 

In  this  spirit  we  started  on  a  determined  quest 
for  information  and  new  resources.  We  took  les- 
sons in  cooking  to  see  whether  the  Domestic  Sci- 
ence schools  had  any  wonderful  wisdom  to  impart 
in  the  direction  of  "  better  food  for  less  money." 
We  studied  courses  in  Home  Economics.  We  read 
books.  We  visited  cooking  laboratories  and  prac- 
tise houses.  Finally  we  came  to  the  Housekeeping 
Experiment  Station  at  Darien,  Conn. 

Here  at  last  we  found  what  we  had  been  seek- 
ing: an  inexpensive  but  charming  home  which  had 
been  so  transformed  by  engineering  skill  that  it 


x  INTRODUCTION 

could  be  cared  for  with  the  minimum  expense,  and 
so  equipped  that  it  could  be  operated  with  the  small- 
est possible  amount  of  effort.  Here  we  learned  of 
two  wonderful  resources  for  preparing1  food, 
adapted  to  the  income  of  the  average  home.  Here 
we  heard  of  Taylor's  wonderful  book  on  Scientific 
Management,  which  has  been  revolutionizing  the 
business  world.  And  here  we  saw  two  old  people 
'living  happily  an  ideal  life  in  which  labor  and  cul- 
ture each  had  its  rightful  place.  At  last  science 
and  high  ideals  had  transformed  "  villain  kitchen 
vassalage  "  into  the  noble  profession  of  home-mak- 
ing. 

The  resources  which  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Barnard  had 
developed  were  suited  to  the  needs  of  two  people 
living  simply  in  the  country,  free  from  the  demands 
of  city  life,  and  free  from  all  the  subtle  complica- 
tions which  constantly  arise  in  larger  households, 
particularly  in  homes  where  there  are  little  children. 
But  back  of  their  work  was  a  great  idea,  and  this 
idea  was  applicable  to  any  home  and  to  any  income. 
"  Do  not  try  to  do  efficient  work  in  an  inefficient 
house.  'First  transform  your  conditions."  This 
is  one  of  the  first  principles  of  engineering;  and, 
strange  as  it  may  seem,  the  very  last  principle  ap- 
plied in  the  average  home. 

By  good  fortune  the  opportunity  came  to  us  to 
join  Mr.  Barnard  in  his  work  and  to  spend  a  year 
in  further  study  of  equipment.  We  must  know 
the  best  equipment  for  each  kind  of  fuel,  the  equip- 


INTRODUCTION  xi 

ment  which  was  best  suited  to  the  needs  of  the  aver- 
age home.  We  must  work  out  better  ideas  in 
kitchen  planning.  And  all  this  information  must 
be  catalogued  and  arranged  so  that  it  would  be 
available  to>  other  home-makers. 

While  we  were  doing  this  work  together  we 
were  constantly  trying  out  new  ideas,  first  at  the 
Housekeeping  Experiment  Station,  and  then  in  other 
people's  homes.  At  last  we  arrived  at  a  simple 
system  of  coordination  which  we  found  could  be 
adapted  to  every  home  and  every  condition.  An 
interesting  test  of  its  efficiency  was  made  when  we 
were  asked  to  plan  a  model  kitchen  for  a  Domestic 
Science  Exhibition  given  in  a  large  city. 

All  details  were  arranged  in  our  office,  and  a  list 
was  sent  covering  directions  for  decoration  and 
equipment.  With  this  carefully  grouped  list  in 
hand  one  of  us  went  to  the  exhibition  and  in  two 
hours  had  everything  in  place.  Had  the  stove  and 
sink  been  actually  connected  up  a  cook  could  have 
stepped  in  and  served  a  very  satisfactory  dinner 
without  loss  of  energy  or  time. 

In  the  spring  of  1911  Mr.  Barnard  retired  from 
active  participation  in  the  Housekeeping  Experi- 
ment Station.*  His  mantle  fell  on  our  younger 
shoulders.  Through  consultations  and  by  means 
of  lectures  and  pamphlets  we  have  striven  to  make 
current  his  ideas  on  household  economics,  and  those 

*  The  Housekeeping  Experiment  Station  is  not  open  to 
visitors  except  for  consultation  and  by  appointment. 


xii  INTRODUCTION 

worked  out  by  ourselves  in  association  with  him. 
But  we  have  found  that  the  help  that  the  home- 
maker  needed  covered  so  wide  a  field  that  it  was 
desirable  to  put  the  information,  first  into  book 
form,  so  that  each  subject  could  be  studied  in  its 
relation  to  the  whole  problem. 

"  The  Efficient  Kitchen  "  is  intended  as  a  book 
of  practical  directions  showing  how  to  so  build  new 
kitchens  or  transform  old  ones  that  the  work  of 
the  home  may  be  accomplished  with  a  sense  of  mas- 
tery, instead  of  remaining  the  hopeless  problem  it 
has  become. 

While  it  records  only  the  beginning  of  a  new  sci- 
ence, and  while  it  deals  with  only  the  practical  mat- 
ters, still  we  believe  it  will  serve  as  a  starting  point 
from  which  every  man  and  woman  may  gain  the 
broad  survey  of  resources  through  which  alone  a 
satisfactory  solution  of  the  home-making  problem 
is  possible.  The  rest  of  the  problem  consists  of 
work  and  patient  study,  line  upon  line  and  precept 
upon  precept,  till  the  subject  is  mastered  and  suc- 
cess is  attained. 

Does  the  task  seem  toilsome  and  weary?  It  is 
no  more  so  than  mastering  the  technique  o>f  any  art, 
or  the  rudiments  of  any  profession.  Let  us  give 
up  the  delusion  that  there  is  any  higher  work  in  life 
for  man  or  woman  than  really  mastering  the  prob- 
lems of  the  home  to  which  in  common  they  owe  al- 
legiance. Let  us  face  facts  as  they  are.  If  ninety 
per  cent  of  the  home-makers  in  this  country  must 


INTRODUCTION  xiii 

live  on  incomes  that  make  domestic  service  prohib- 
itory, let  us  hasten  to  transform  our  manner  of 
living  so  that  we  will  not  be  carrying  needless 
financial  burdens.  The  apprenticeship  to  "  villain 
kitchen  vassalage  "  will  not  last  forever.  Intelli- 
gence will  develop  new  resources,  new  methods  of 
doing  work,  better  planned  houses  and  better  equip- 
ment. The  home-maker  will  then  have  time  to  de- 
vote to  the  other  side  of  life,  to  the  things  that  bring 
inspiration  and  joy  and  peace  into  this  little  circle 
of  love  which  we  are  proud  to  call  "  our  home." 

GEORGIE  BOYNTON  CHILD. 
28  HOYT  ST., 

STAMFORD,  CONN. 


CONTENTS 

PAGE 

INTRODUCTION vii 

I     THE  FUNDAMENTAL  PRINCIPLE  I 

II     PLANNING  THE  KITCHEN     .....     12 

v  III     SCIENTIFIC  GROUPING  .     37 

IV     BUILT-IN  CONVENIENCES     .      .      .      .      .46 

V    HEATING    THE    KITCHEN    AND    KEEPING 

DISHES  WARM 64 

VI  HOT  WATER  HEATING  SYSTEMS     ...  70 

VII  CHOICE  OF  FUEL  FOR  COOKING     ...  88 

VIII  SELECTING  THE  FIXED  EQUIPMENT     .      .  99 

"    IX  LISTS  OF  NECESSARY  EQUIPMENT  .      .     .127 

X  TIME  AND  LABOR-SAVING  EQUIPMENT     .  145 

XI  LIGHT  HOUSEKEEPING  EQUIPMENT     .      .  163 

XII  DISPOSAL  OF  KITCHEN  WASTE  ....  170 

XIII  DISH-WASHING    AND    DAILY     CARE    OF 

THE  KITCHEN   .  175 

XIV  THE  LAUNDRY  PROBLEM 190 

k   XV    THE  BUSINESS  SIDE  OF  THE  KITCHEN     .   199 

XVI     THE  HOME-MAKER'S  QUIET  CORNER    .     ..  219 

GLOSSARY 229 

INDEX 233 


THE  ILLUSTRATIONS 


Well     arranged     and     well     equipped 

kitchen Frontispiece 


FACING 
PAGE 


Butler's  pantry  and  dining-room 22 

Scientific  grouping  of  equipment 44 

Convenient  country  kitchenette 94 

Built-in  kitchen  cabinet 116 

Well  planned  farm  kitchenette 130 

Remodeled  kitchen,  notable  for  concentration  of 

working  processes 156 

Home-made  kitchen   cabinet 214 


THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 


'  Prince,  thou  shalt  go  disguised  to  Arthur's  hall, 
And  hire  thyself  to  serve  for  meats  and  drinks 
Among  the  scullions  and  the  kitchen  knaves, 
And  those  that  hand  the  dish  across  the  bar. 
Nor  shalt  thou  tell  thy  name  to  anyone. 
And  thou  shalt  serve  a  twelve  month  and  a  day.' 

For  so  the  Queen  believed  that  when  her  son 
Beheld  his  only  way  to  glory  lead 
Low  down  thro'  villain  kitchen-vassalage, 
Her  own  true  Gareth  was  too  princely-proud 
To  pass  thereby;  so  should  he  rest  with  her, 
Closed  in  her  castle  from  the  sound  of  arms. 

Silent  awhile  was  Gareth,  then  replied : 
'  The  thrall  in  person  may  be  free  in  soul, 
And  I  shall  see  the  jousts.     Thy  son  am  I, 
And,  since  thou  art  my  mother,  must  obey. 
I  therefore  yield  me  freely  to  thy  will ; 
For  hence  will  I,  disguised,  and  hire  myself 
•  To  serve  with  scullions  and  with  kitchen-knaves; 
Nor  tell  my  name  to  any,  no,  not  the  King.' 

Tennyson's  " Idylls  of  the  King" 


THE  EFFICIENT   KITCHEN 

i 

THE  FUNDAMENTAL  PRINCIPLE     . 

"T"Y  THAT     is     Algebra,     Phoebe  .  .  .  ex- 
\/\/     actly?"  asks  worried  Miss  Susan,  in 
"Quality  Street." 

For  many  of  us  who  aspire  to  be  successful  home- 
makers,  some  such  dim  aura  of  mystification  clings 
round  the  wonderful  new  word  Efficiency.  How 
lightly  it  is  bandied  from  mouth  to  mouth !  What 
magical  things  it  is  said  to  do!  Now  it  is  offered 
us  as  a  tempting  bait.  Again  it  is  brandished  over 
our  heads  as  a  club.  We  are  to  be  Efficient,  and 
to  make  our  kitchens  Efficient.  And  then,  of 
course,  our  troubles  will  be  at  an  end.  But  what 
has  efficiency  actually  to  do  with  us?  How  do  we 
get  it?  What  do  we  do  with  it?  After  all,  ex- 
actly .  .  .  what  is  Efficiency? 

Mr.  Charles  Barnard  has  given  the  clearest  defi- 
nition of  the  term  that  we  have  seen.  He  says, 
"  Efficiency  has  meant  in  the  past  the  power  to 
produce  results.  It  now  properly  means  much 
more.  It  means  power  to  produce  the  best  results 
at  the  lowest  cost  of  time,  labor  and  materials." 

i 


2  THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

It  has  often  Deemed  to  us  that  Efficiency,  like 
Boston,  was  *'  a  state  of  mind."  At  any  rate,  it  is 
the  result  of  a  certain  flexibility  of  mind  that  com- 
monly comes  with  culture  and  expert  training,  but 
that  may  also  be  gained  by  a  right  mental  attitude 
toward  the  humble  and  arduous  daily  tasks  that  are 
ours.  It  is  the  very  antithesis  of  the  selfish  and 
narrow  individualism  that  insists  upon  considering 
every  problem  of  the  home  as  a  "  personal  matter." 

Women  are  not  to  be  blamed  for  this.  The  con- 
servatism, the  somewhat  petty  insistence  on  indi- 
vidual preferences  and  prejudices  that  often  seem 
reared  like  a  solid  wall  in  the  way  of  progress  in- 
this  important  field,  are  but  natural  results  of 
age-long  repression.  In  general  women  have  given 
the  world  what  the  world  required  of  them  — 
dumb  acquiescence  in  things  as  they  are.  Now 
that  something  higher  is  required  they  will  still  re- 
spond. And  they  and  the  world  will  be  the  gainers. 
For  the  new  gospel  of  Housekeeping  Efficiency 
means  that  there  is  a  demand  for  Housekeeping 
Efficiency ;  that  the  efficiency  of  women,  their  initia- 
tive and  intelligence,  are  vitally  needed  if  home  life 
is  to  continue. 

A  preliminary,  then,  to  planning  our  efficient 
kitchen,  is  the  acquiring  of  an  efficient  attitude  of 
mind.  This  implies  liberation  from  bondage  to 
outworn  or  merely  personal  habits  and  methods;  a 
firm  mental  grasp  of  the  objects  of  all  our  work ;  a 
firm  faith  that  these  right  and  necessary  objects 


THE  FUNDAMENTAL  PRINCIPLE       3 

can  be  achieved ;  above  all  a  disposition  to  use  merely 
as  tools  the  equipment,  the  circumstances  and  condi- 
tions that  surround  us.  These  circumstances  and 
conditions,  this  income,  be  it  large  or  small;  this 
wall-space,  stove  or  egg-beater  are  just  tools,  to  be 
shifted  about,  changed,  replaced  or  eliminated  alto- 
gether, according  as  they  serve  or  do  not  serve  the 
purpose  for  which  they  were  intended. 

This  is  what  is  meant  by  saying  that  efficiency 
consists  in  standardizing  work.  It  is  the  difference 
between  what  one  individual  can  do,  and  the  com- 
posite result  of  the  experience  of  many. 

There  is  one  best  way  to  solve  any  given  problem 
of  work.  We  have  seen  the  truth  of  this  in  play- 
ing duplicate  whist.  It  is  no  longer  the  problem  of 
making  the  most  of  "  my  hand,"  but  of  making  the 
most  of  a  hand  that  may  come  to  any  one,  and 
that  will  come  to  every  one  in  turn  in  the  game. 
Whist  players  of  unusual  intelligence  have  studied 
out  certain  best  ways  of  proceeding  when  certain, 
given  combinations  of  cards  appear  in  a  hand. 
The  amateur  whist  player  profits  by  their  study  and 
adopts  the  rules  that  have  been  found  to  bring  re- 
sults in  the  greatest  number  of  cases. 

The  same  holds  true  of  the  kitchen  processes. 
No  matter  how  wide  the  difference  between  one 
family  and  another  in  scale  and  manner  of  living, 
by  far  the  greater  number  of  kitchen  problems  are 
common  to  all  kitchens,  and  there  is  one  best  way  of 
solving  them.  To  create  an  efficient  kitchen  is 


4  THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

therefore  to  standardize  it;  to  work  out,  by  a  scien- 
tific study  of  the  needs  and  conditions  of  the  kitchen, 
the  one  best  way  of  meeting  each  need ;  to  work  out 
certain,  standard  principles  of  construction  and 
grouping  which  shall  best  conform  to  universal  re- 
quirements ;  to  then  show  how  this  "  standard  type  " 
may  be  adapted  to  meet  the  special  requirements 
of  those  who  have  less  than  the  normal  amount  of 
money  to  spend,  or  more  than  the  normal  amount 
of  work  to  be  done  for  the  same  amount  of  money. 

To  sum  up,  then:  The  problem  that  confronts 
us  in  the  building  and  equipping  of  our  kitchens  is 
the  developing  of  a  standard  type  that  will  be 
adapted  to  the  universal  needs  of  the  present  day, 
and  that  can  be  modified  to  meet  special  needs  with- 
out vital  changes  in  the  essential  principles  of  con- 
struction and  arrangement. 

The  title  we  have  chosen  for  our  book,  "  The 
Efficient  Kitchen,"  expresses  both  the  universal 
needs  to  be  met,  and  the  conditions  governing  the 
problem.  The  word  kitchen  suggests  to  each  of 
us  very  much  the  same  general  round  of  tasks  to  be 
performed;  and  the  word  efficient  expresses  the 
need  for  getting  results  without  wasted  effort. 
This,  too,  is  a  universal  requirement,  because  the 
pressure  of  life  is  now  bearing  very  heavily  upon 
us  all.  It  is  not  only  the  tired  little  mother, 
striving  to  do  all  her  work  and  care  for  two  or  three 
children  on  an  insufficient  income,  who  needs  help ; 
but  the  home-maker  of  abundant  means,  who  has 


THE  FUNDAMENTAL  PRINCIPLE       5 

larger  responsibilities  and  larger  social  and  profes- 
sional demands  upon  her  income  and  her  time.  In 
the  former  case,  the  pressure  to  be  lightened  is 
physical  strain;  in  the  latter,  an  equally  excessive 
and  sometimes  overwhelming  mental  strain. 

There  is  one  guiding  principle  which  will  enable 
us  to  solve  a  problem  of  this  kind,  and  that  is  the 
principle  of  Conservation.  Conservation  is  really 
the  science  of  making  the  most  of  things.  And 
to  make  the  most  of  things  we  must  have  a  very 
complete  and  exact  knowledge  of  values.  If  we  do 
not  have  a  clear  knowledge  of  values,  we  shall  be 
continually  sacrificing  important  things  to  unim- 
portant or  less  important  things,  and  shall  not  be 
^conserving  at  all,  but  wasting. 

Now,  the  housekeeping  methods  which  have  come 
down  to  us  from  our  Colonial  ancestors  were  all 
based  on  this  same  idea  of  conservation.  Only  our 
grandmothers  had  very  different  ideas  as  to  what 
was  worth  while  conserving.  The  values  that 
loomed  large  in  their  eyes,  were  values  that,  at  that 
time,  cost  the  greatest  amount  of  money.  Food 
products  that  they  could  not  produce  themselves; 
manufactured  articles  of  apparel  which  could  not  be 
woven  or  knitted  at  home,  cost  actual  money;  and 
money  was  not  at  all  plentiful.  Therefore  they 
economized  these  costly  values  at  the  expense  o<f 
time  and  human  energy,  which,  then,  were  rela- 
tively cheap.  They  did  not  take  into  consideration 
fuel  values,  either,  or  consider  large  houses  extrav- 


6  THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

agant.  Wood  was  plentiful;  while  the  work  neces- 
sary to  prepare  it  for  use,  either  for  fuel  or  for 
building  purposes,  was  done  in  the  winter,  when 
there  was  no  market  value  for  a  man's  time. 

To-day  conditions  have  entirely  changed.  La- 
bor is  dear,  while  manufactured  articles  are  cheaper 
than  ever  before  in  the  world's  history.  Commer- 
cial foods  of  certain  kinds  are  comparatively  cheap. 
In  fact  nearly  everything  that  can  be  produced  by 
machinery  is  cheap,  and  everything  that  must  be 
done  by  hand  is  very  high  priced.  Certain  com- 
modities that  used  to  be  abundant,  and  that  conse- 
quently were  of  small  money  value,  are  now  either 
growing  scarce,  or  have  been  curtailed  in  production 
to  artificially  raise  the  price.  Wood  is  much  less 
abundant  and  is  also  subject  to  trust  control.  The 
coal  supply  is  governed  by  a  monopoly.  Thus  fuel 
which  formerly  was  not  even  considered  as  an  item 
of  expense,  is  a  very  large  expense  to  us  to-day. 
We  find  the  same  change  in  the  status  of  farm 
products.  Eggs,  butter,  milk,  chickens,  pigs  and 
fruit  were  all  formerly  produced  by  every  house- 
holder, and  were  abundant  and  low-priced.  All 
these  commodities  now  have  new  values,  and  pre- 
sent new  problems  in  relation  to  their  use  for  food. 

But  the  greatest  of  all  shifting  of  values  has  come 
about  in  the  new  estimate  of  the  value  of  a  woman's 
work  in  the  home.  Fifty  years  ago  the  output  of 
vitality  and  energy  of  even  the  most  intelligent  and 
highly  organized  women  was  a  thing  absolutely  dis- 


THE  FUNDAMENTAL  PRINCIPLE       7 

regarded.  The  general  attitude  of  mind  on  this 
subject  can  only  be  compared  to  that  of  the  Southern 
farmer  in  whom  an  agricultural  enthusiast  tried 
to  awaken  an  interest  in  the  scientific  feeding  of 
his  stock. 

"  You  ought  to  give  your  pigs  a  warm  mash  in- 
stead of  cold  at  this  time  of  year,"  observed  the  ex- 
pert. 

"Why?"   asked  the   farmer. 

"  Well,"  began  the  apostle  of  progress,  "  for  one 
thing,  a  cold  mash  takes  twice  as  much  time  to  digest 
as  food  that  is  properly  warmed." 

"Does  it?" 

The  proprietor  of  the  pigs  leisurely  eyed  his 
would-be  benefactor,  transferred  his  quid  of  tobacco 
from  the  right  cheek  to  the  left  cheek,  calmly  spat, 
and  finally  remarked,  "  Say,  Stranger,  what  do  you 
reckon  a  hog's  time  is  worth  ?  " 

Fifty  years  ago  it  seemed  profitable  and  praise- 
worthy for  the  mother  of  a  family  to  spend  a  whole 
winter  making  a  rug  of  old  "  pants."  It  seemed 
worth  while  to  spend  hours  each  week  mending 
stockings  that  required  one  or  two  hours  patching 
a  pair.  Dishes  that  took  an  hour  to  prepare  were 
concocted,  merely  to  use  up  food  materials  that  now 
would  be  thought  of  trifling  value  in  comparison 
with  the  time  taken  to  save  them. 

To-day  all  that  has  changed.  For  both  men  and 
women  there  are  new  standards  of  the  worth  of  life 
and  the  value  of  human  striving.  But,  in  addition, 


8  THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

woman's  labor  in  the  home  has  an  actual  market 
value,  as  those  who  are  obliged  to  hire  it  have  found 
out  to  their  cost.  It  is  worth,  at  a  minimum,  fifteen 
cents  an  hour  for  physical  labor  alone;  and  from 
that  up  to  fifty  cents,  a  dollar  or  even  two  dollars 
an  hour  for  skilled  or  professional  work.  We  find 
that  the  kind  of  mental  energy  that  can  coordinate, 
analyze  and  direct  — that  can  "  handle  a  situation," 
as  it  is  termed  in  the  world  of  achievement,  is  worth 
thousands  of  dollars  a  year  in  business  and  profes- 
sional undertakings.  Consequently  we  see  that  the 
problem  of  conserving  this  very  expensive  value  in 
the  home,  outweighs  in  importance  all  the  other 
factors  in  the  home-making  problem  combined. 

In  business  enterprises  there  has  been  an  increas- 
ing tendency,  during  the  last  decade,  toward  con- 
servation of  the  more  valuable  kinds  of  human  en- 
ergy by  eliminating  the  causes  of  fatigue  or  waste 
of  time.  We  know  of  one  great  concern  which 
pays  good  salaries  and  requires  efficient  service  of 
its  clerks,  both  men  and  women.  These  clerks  are 
expected  to  avail  themselves,  to  the  fullest  extent, 
of  the  services  of  the  office  boy  and  stenographer, 
as  well  as  of  the  labor-saving  equipment  of  the  of- 
fice, so  that  their  entire  energies  will  be  freed  for 
the  work  of  most  value  to  the  company.  If  a 
woman  is  employed  at,  say,  $100  a  month  to  keep 
certain  records,  she  is  supposed  to  spend  her  time 
on  this  w'ork  which  is  worth  $100  a  month,  and  for 
which  she  is  trained.  If  she  does  errands  or  tele- 


THE  FUNDAMENTAL  PRINCIPLE       9 

phoning  which  could  be  as  well  done  by  an  office  boy 
worth  $30  a  month;  or  if  she  writes  letters  which 
she  could  dictate  to  a  stenographer  in  half  the 
time,  she  is  considered  as  making  a  wasteful  use  of 
time  which  belongs  to  the  company. 

While  such  a  specialization  of  labor  is  impossible 
in  the  average  home,  it  is  possible  to  conserve  the 
energy  and  time  of  the  home-maker  in  an  equally  v 
effective  way.  This  is  accomplished  by  careful 
planning  and  construction  of  the  kitchen ;  by  select- 
ing labor-and-time-saving  equipment;  by  grouping 
the  equipment  in  the  way  that  will  best  promote  ef- 
fective, rapid  work ;  and  last  of  all  by  adopting  an 
efficient  system  which  will  help  to  reduce  all  the 
mechanical  parts  of  the  work  to  automatic  processes^ 
In  this  way  the  fresh  thought  and  energy  of  the 
housekeeper  is  saved  for  the  most  important  part  of 
home-making,  the  exercise  of  loving  care  that 
watches  over  every  essential  affecting  the  welfare 
of  the  home  circle.  This  is  more  a  problem  of  wise 
administration  than  of  routine  housekeeping.  It 
calls  for  love,  intelligence  and  expert  training. 
Very  oiten  women  who  are  abundantly  endowed 
with  the  right  thought  and  intelligence  to  make  the 
most  perfect  kind  of  homes  have  not  had  the  train- 
ing to  master  the  technique  and  are  discouraged  by 
its  complexity.  There  are  so  many  homely  facts 
to  be  reckoned  with,  so  much  apparently  unimpor- 
tant detail  to  be  covered,  that  the  task  seems  hope- 
less. So  they  drift  along  and  let  their  lives  and 


io  THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

their  home-making  be  controlled  by  circumstance. 
All  that  is  needed  to  transform  such  homes  is  a  will- 
ingness to  look  at  the  problem  from  a  different 
point  of  view ;  to  see  that  mastery  of  the  work  we 
have  chosen  is  the  first  step  to  a  self-mastery  that 
vitally  affects  our  character,  that  will  do  much  to- 
ward creating  right  ideals  in  our  children,  and  that 
will  do  more  for  the  world  at  large  than  any  work 
outside  the  home,  however  brilliant,  if  undertaken 
at  the  expense  of  the  responsibilities  we  assumed 
when  we  started  out  in  married  life. 

This  little  book  has  been  written  for  home-mak- 
ers, men  as  well  as  women.  Its  theme  is  mastery 
of  the  practical  difficulties  that  are  summed  up  in 
the  phrase  "the  technique  of  housekeeping."  Its 
object  is  to  awaken  interest  in  a  constructive  solu- 
tion of  such  problems,  which  will  result,  directly, 
in  freedom  and  independence;  and  indirectly  in  a 
new  spirit  of  joy  and  peace.  Such  men  and  women 
understand  that  housekeeping  processes  are  merely 
means  to  an  end.  They  know  that  efficiency  is  not 
gained  simply  by  making  the  work-room  efficient, 
but  that  it  is  a  way  of  thinking,  an  attitude  of  mind, 
that'  involves  mental  mastery.  They  are  ready  to 
see  work  in  its  proper  relation  to  life,  to  learn  to 
subordinate  the  unessential  to  the  essential,  to  think 
clearly  and  logically  and  to  get  results. 

Very  few  home-makers  can  go  to  school  again  to 
get  the  mental  training  so  essential  to  success.  But 
we  must  remember  that  the  greatest  teachers  and 


THE  FUNDAMENTAL  PRINCIPLE      11 

thinkers  of  the  world  got  their  own  education  in  the 
school  of  experience.  Rightly  viewed  and  rightly 
used  the  kitchen  is  not  a  bad  training  school.  It 
presents  problems  in  organization  and  administra- 
tion as  complex  as  any  to  be  found  in  business.  It 
gives  a  field  for  as  great  skill  in  chemical  combina- 
tions as  is  to  be  met  with  in  many  a  scientific  labo- 
ratory. Its  opportunities  for  scientific  investiga- 
tion are  as  varied  as  those  of  the  Rockefeller  or 
Pasteur  Institutes.  Only  the  titles  and  emoluments 
seem  lacking. 

To-day  most  of  us  are  content  to  feel  that  we 
are  doing  a  difficult  and  important  task  well.  But 
there  will  undoubtedly  come  a  time  when  the  more 
ambitious  home-maker  will  be  able  to  write  after 
her  name  titles  as  imposing  as  Master  of  Science  or 
Doctor  of  Laws.  Perhaps  by  that  time  some  such 
title  will  be  more  highly  regarded  than  those  show- 
ing scientific  attainments  only.  For  the  day  is  com- 
ing when  the  test  of  the  value  of  scientific  attain- 
ments will  be  their  power  to  enhance  the  value 
of  practical  living.  One  thing  is  sure.  She  who 
shall  have  solved  the  problem  of  successful  home- 
making,  will  have  been  obliged  to  bring  to  her  work 
as  much  intelligence  and  training  as  is  required  by 
any  other  science  or  profession. 


II 

PLANNING  THE  KITCHEN 

MUCH  of  the  modern  housekeeper's  dis- 
tress is  due  to  the  fact  that  our  kitchens 
express  the  needs  and  customs  of  our 
grandmothers'  time,  and  not  those  of  to-day. 

Less  than  a  hundred  years  ago  the  home  itself 
produced  what  the  family  consumed,  and  sheltered 
many  workers.  The  kitchen  was  then  the  work- 
room of  the  house  and  was  necessarily  large,  as  it 
was  the  scene  of  many  and  varied  industries.  Sew- 
ing, knitting,  quilting;  candle-making,  and  prepar- 
ing food  on  a  large  scale  for  winter  consumption, 
were  all  carried  on  in  one  big  room.  Living  was 
very  simple,  social  demands  very  few.  And  large 
houses  and  open  country  expressed  the  restful  sense 
of  "room 'to  breathe  in."  Weariness  then  came 
more  from  physical  work  than  from  any  pressure 
on  nerves  and  brain  due  to  the  character  of  the  work 
or  its  conditions. 

To-day  nearly  all  the  old-time  industries  have 
been  banished  from  the  home  and  put  on  a  com- 
mercial footing,  in  many  cases  to  the  detriment  of 
the  home-maker.  We  buy  our  clothing  and  our 
canned  fruit.  Instead  of  making  candles  we  switch 
on  the  electric  light.  The  kitchen  is  a  place  where 

12 


PLANNING  THE  KITCHEN  13 

food  is  prepared,  and  where  practically  nothing  else 
is  done.  The  physical  strain  of  the  old  days  has 
been  succeeded  by  an  even  greater  mental  strain, 
due  to  the  great  expensiveness  of  everything  we  use 
in  our  homes,  and  to  the  continual  necessity  of  deal- 
ing with  conditions  outside  the  home  which  we  can- 
not control.  There  is  no  margin  left  for  mistakes 
or  extravagance,  whether  of  time,  of  strength  or  of 
money.  Efficient  kitchens,  such  as  insure  to  the 
worker  proper  rest,  economy  of  the  vital  forces, 
have  become  an  absolute  necessity. 

It  is  this  need  for  economy  of  nerve  force,  this 
new  need  peculiar  to  an  age  of  high  pressure  and 
rapid  mental  readjustment,  that  our  kitchen  must 
be  equipped  to  meet.  Efficiency  must  be  the  key- 
note. Efficient  work.  Efficient  rest.  Elimina- 
tion of  all  unnecessary  work.  The  doing  of  neces- 
sary work  in  the  easiest  and  most  economical  way. 
These  are  the  problems  of  every  home-maker, 
whether  rich  or  poor ;  whether  she  have  one  servant, 
or  none,  or  several.  Even  if  she  performs  no  part 
of  th\  work  of  the  kitchen  herself  she  must,  in  these 
days  of  untrained  help  and  shifting  economic  condi- 
tions, give  her  kitchen  constant  supervision,  if  she  is 
to  realize  her  dream  of  creating  the  ideal  home. 

In  meeting  the  new  conditions  no  single  change 
has  proved  so  helpful  as  the  passing  of  the  old-fash- 
ioned "  roomy  "  kitchen  of  fond  memory,  and  the 
adoption  of  the  very  modern  and  utilitarian  small 
kitchen. 


i4  THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

Where  space  is  restricted  a  most  careful  study  is, 
of  course,  necessary  in  order  to  make  the  most  of  the 
space  at  one's  command.  But  when  such  a  study 
has  been  made,  when  the  kitchen  is  a  compact  and 
truly  efficient  work-room,  the  saving  in  time, 
strength  and  labor  due  to  the  simple  elimination  of 
useless  space,  is  almost  incalculable.  In  the  small 
kitchen  there  is  less  wall  and  floor  space  to  be  gone 
over  in  the  daily  care  and  cleaning.  The  concen- 
tration of  all  the  working  processes  near  together 
and  in  convenient  relation  to  one  another,  saves 
hours  of  time  by  preventing  useless  steps  and  awk- 
ward, unnecessary  motions.  Moreover,  the  small 
kitchen  means  great  economy  in  construction  —  a 
very  important  matter  in  these  days  when  building  is 
so  costly.  Every  square  foot  of  flooring  and  parti- 
tion cut  out  of  the  kitchen  where  it  is  not  needed 
may  be  added  with  advantage  to  some  other  part  of 
the  house  where  extra  space  means  added  health, 
comfort  and  opportunity  for  the  entire  family. 

We  assume,  therefore,  that  the  housekeeper  will 
have  a  small  kitchen  if  she  can;  or  will  limit  her  re- 
modeled kitchen  to  the  smallest  possible  dimen- 
sions. We  will  proceed  to  consider  how  this  lim- 
ited space  may  be  used  to  the  best  advantage. 

USES  THE  KITCHEN  MUST  SERVE 

The  final  plans  for  the  kitchen  must  be  drawn 
by  an  architect.  It  is  not  the  purpose  of  this  book 
to  give  any  information  that  comes  under  the  head 


PLANNI3S  15 

of  technical  construction.  Its  object  is,  rather,  to 
call  attention  to  the  various  uses  which  the  kitchen 
must  serve,  and  of  which  many  good  architects  are 
woefully  ignorant. 

It  is  a  very  interesting  thing  to  notice  the  work- 
ing out  of  thought.  If  we  begin  by  holding  stead- 
fastly in  mind  the  object  to  be  gained,  some  way  will 
be  found  of  overcoming  difficulties  and  achieving 
the  desired  result.  If,  on  the  other  hand,  we  allow 
ourselves,  too  early  in  the  planning  process,  to  be 
diverted  by  a  consideration  of  ways  and  means,  we 
are  apt  to  land  in  discouragement  and  hopeless  con- 
fusion. 

Therefore,  first  of  all,  before  we  begin  to  think  of 
details,  or  even  picture  to  ourselves  the  general  out- 
line of  the  room,  we  must  think  of  the  work  to  be 
done  in  the  room.  We  remember  the  four  main 
requisites  of  all  kitchens:  storage  place  for  sup- 
plies, including  refrigeration ;  a  work  table  on  which 
to  prepare  the  food ;  proper  arrangements  for  cook- 
ing; the -water  supply,  including  facilities  for  dish- 
washing and  cleaning  up.  These  are  fundamental 
needs,  and  must  be  met  in  any  kind  of  kitchen  for  a 
family  of  any  size. 

The  next  consideration  is  that  the  kitchen  con- 
veniences be  in  compact  relation  to  one  another,  so 
as  to  economize  the  workers'  time  and  strength. 
Most  of  us  know  that  kitchen  work  is  not  a  series 
of  isolated  tasks,  but  that  one  task  must  be  fitted  in 
with  another  most  ingeniously  if  we  are  to  do  any- 


16  THE  EFFICIENT  ivITCHEN 

thing  like  an  effective  day's  work.  Therefore  our 
supplies,  our  work  table,  our  stove  and  our  sink 
must  be  near  enough  together  so  that  we  can  "  keep 
an  eye"  on  one  thing  while  we  are  doing  other 
things.  We  wash  the  breakfast  dishes  while  we 
watch  the  cake  baking.  We  cook  the  cereal  for 
next  morning's  breakfast  while  we  wash  the  supper 
dishes.  We  realize  that  we  can  work  easily  and 
effectively  just  in  proportion  as  we  use  skill  in 
planning  and  arranging  our  work. 

Having  coordinated  our  working  processes,  we 
picture  to  ourselves  the  right  conditions  in  which  to 
work.  We  must  have  plenty  of  light,  both  day- 
times and  evenings'.  The  light  must  fall  on  our 
work  and  not  shine  in  our  eyes.  The  kitchen  must 
be  well  ventilated,  comfortably  warmed  in  winter 
and  cool  in  summer.  All  possible  provision  must 
be  made  for  doing  the  work  in  reasonable  comfort 
and  without  useless  expenditure  of  the  workers' 
time  and  strength. 

We  next  remember  that,  besides  the  immediate 
needs  of  the  work  itself,  there  are  other  require- 
ments to  be  met  in  the  kitchen.  A  place  for  wraps 
and  rainy-day  things.  Some  safe  depository  for  in- 
coming supplies.  We  decide  to  make  a  list  of  all 
the  kitchen  needs  we  can  think  of,  jotting  them 
down  roughly,  like  this: 

1.  Work  table  and  its  accessories,  including  containers 

for  groceries  used  in  mixing. 

2.  Sink  and  its  outfit. 

3.  Stove  and  its  accessories. 


PLANNING  THE  KITCHEN  17 

4.  Containers    and    special    working    shelf    for    cutting 

bread,  cake,  pastry,  etc. 

5.  Provision  for  keeping  food  cold.     Refrigerator.     Cold 

closet. 

6.  Provision  for  keeping  food  warm  and  drying  dishes. 

7.  Arrangements  for  heating  the  water  supply. 

8.  Arrangements  for  heating  the  kitchen. 

9.  Drawers   for  cutlery,  kitchen  linen,  aprons,  etc. 

10.  Place  for  cleaning  preparations,  and  cleaning  cloths, 
n.  Shelf  or  closet  for  incoming  supplies. 

12.  Place  for  broom,  mops,  etc. 

13.  Closet  for  wraps. 

14.  Laundry  arrangements,  if  no  provision  can  be  made 

for  these  in  a  separate  room. 

Up  to  this  point  the  planning  has  been  quite  a 
simple  matter,  because  we  have  been  thinking  of  the 
kitchen  as  a  work-room  by  itself , "and  not  in  its  rela- 
tion to  other  parts  of  the  house.  The  complexities 
begin  just  here.  Not  only  must  the  kitchen  be 
rightly  placed  in  relation  to  the  dining-room  and 
rear  entrance ;  but  its  plumbing  and  heating  and  flue 
connections  must  be  planned  with  reference  to  the 
house  systems  and  must  conform  to  these  to  a  cer- 
tain degree,  in  order  not  to  cause  unnecessary  ex- 
pense. Then  we  begin  to  find  things  conflicting  and 
interfering  with  one  another.  Our  simple,  con- 
venient arrangement  of  sink  and  stove  and  work  ta- 
ble may  prove  impracticable.  Flues  go  here,  where 
we  wanted  to  put  our  sink.  Pipes  go  there  in  that 
excellent  place  for  a  work  table.  Doors  and  win- 
dows, apparently,  must  fill  all  the  wall  spaces  so  de- 
sirable for  open-shelf  cupboards.  Our  kitchen 
seems  verging  on  a  mere  conglomeration  of  exits 
and  entrances ;  of  wires  and  pipes  and  flues. 


i8  THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

It  is  just  at  this  point  that  the  woman  who  is  de- 
termined to  have  a  convenient  kitchen  is  apt  to  find 
herself  in  conflict  with  the  architect.  Just  here  she 
will  realize  the  wisdom  of  having  thought  out  the 
ends  the  kitchen  must  serve,  rather  than  the  means 
by  which  those  ends  may  be  attained.  The  start- 
ing point  of  all  successful  architecture  is  use; 
that  which  a  room  or  a  building  or  a  bridge  or  a 
factory  is  for.  The  reason  why  so  many  gifted 
architects  fail  in  kitchen  construction  is  simply  be- 
cause they  have  only  the  most  rudimentary  ideas, 
or  none  at  all,  of  the  actual  requirements  of  a  mod- 
ern kitchen.  These  the  home-maker  knows.  And 
this  knowledge  she  must  be  able  to  impart  to  the 
architect  if  he  needs  it.  She  must  be  prepared  to 
stand  her  ground  very  firmly  when  told  that  this 
or  that  structural  necessity  interferes  with  the  vital 
convenience  of  arrangement.  She  cannot  stub- 
bornly insist  that  the  sink  shall  go  here  and  the  work 
table  there.  But  she  can  explain  clearly  that  this, 
that  and  the  other  need  is  imperative  in  the  kitchen ; 
that  such  and  such  kitchen  processes  must  be  co- 
ordinated. Once  he  clearly  understands  the  end  in 
view  a  competent  architect  will  find  means  to  bring 
this  about. 

If  we  plan  our  kitchen  before  we  plan  any  other 
room  in  the  house  almost  all  these  difficulties  can 
be  mastered  very  easily.  If  we  leave  it  until  the 
last  it  will  require  just  that  much  more  ingenuity  to 
accomplish  our  purpose.  But  one  thing  we  must 


PLANNING  THE  KITCHEN  19 

keep  steadfastly  in  mind.  The  legitimate  needs  of 
kitchen  construction  can  and  will  be  met,  provided 
the  home-maker  herself  knows  clearly  what  they 
are.  On  her  realization  of  this,  and  her  patient  de- 
termination to  make  others  realize  it,  depends  much 
of  the  future  success  of  her  home. 

CHOICE  OF  METHODS  AND  MATERIALS 

After  having,  in  conference  with  the  architect, 
worked  out  the  structural  plan  of  an  efficient  kitchen, 
the  home-maker  will  find  herself  at  every  stage  of 
the  work,  required  to  make  choices  between  this  or 
that  method  or  material;  this  or  that  alternative  in 
working  out  some  detail  of  construction.  On  her 
wise  decision  of  all  these  points  depends  the  con- 
venience of  the  kitchen  as  a  work-room ;  the  cost  of 
building  and  equipping  the  kitchen;  and  above  all 
the  cost  of  maintenance  after  it  has  been  built  and 
equipped.  She  must  therefore  know  what  the  pos- 
sibilities are,  and  what  the  result  of  her  choice  in 
each  case  is  going  to  be. 

Two  general  principles  will  guide  her  safely. 
The  first  applies  to  choice  of  materials.  Get  only 
what  is  good  of  its  kind.  If  you  cannot  afford  the 
best,  do  not  get  a  cheap  substitute,  but  choose  some- 
thing less  expensive,  which  is  still  the  best  of  its 
kind.  In  kitchen  wall  finish,  for  example,  a  good 
grade  of  rough  plaster,  tinted,  is  better  than  a  poor 
grade  of  hard-trowel  finished  plaster,  painted.  A 
reliable  mason  will  estimate  on  either.  But  poor 


20  THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

work  of  the  more  expensive  grade  should  not  be 
accepted. 

The  second  general  principle  applies  to  the  choice 
of  contractors  to  carry  out  the  work  planned.  Get 
only  men  of  known  reputation  to  estimate  on  your 
contract.  If  you  find  you  cannot  afford  to  get  the 
house  well  built  as  planned,  do  not  accept  a  cheaper 
estimate  from  a  less  reliable  man.  Eliminate  ev- 
ery unnecessary  thing  and  have  good  work  as  far  as 
you  go.  There  are  too  many  ways  of  being  cheated 
in  materials  and  workmanship  to  make  it  wise  to 
take  any  chances. 

DETAILS  OF  KITCHEN  CONSTRUCTION 
Size  of  the  Kitchen. 

The  convenience  and  economy  of  the  small  kitchen 
have  been  referred  to  at  the  beginning  of  this  chap- 
ter. We  are  realizing  the  need  of  many  things  in 
the  home  which  are  more  to  be  desired  than  un- 
necessary space  in  the  kitchen.  Sun  parlors,  out- 
door dining-rooms  and  maids'  sitting-rooms  are  be- 
ginning to  seem  necessities,  and  in  very  many  cases 
could  be  afforded  if  no  space  were  wasted  on  rooms 
where  space  is  not  required.  A  small  upstairs  laun- 
dry and  pressing-room  is  another  need  that  must 
often  be  met  in  the  housekeeping  of  to-day.  A  very 
convenient  kitchenette  can  be  made  of  a  room  seven 
feet  by  eleven.  We  recommend  this  size  for  a  fam- 
ily without  a  maid,  or  where  only  one  house-worker 
is  employed.  Convenient  dimensions  for  the  aver- 


PLANNING  THE  KITCHEN 


21 


age  family  are  ten  by  twelve  feet,  or  eleven  by  thir- 
teen. The  kitchen  ought  to  be  oblong  rather  than 
square  to  get  the  best  result  of  wall  space. 

Relation  of  Kitchen  to  Dining-Room  and  Outside 
Porch. 

Very  often,  in  order  to  save  expense  in  construe- 


DIKING    ROOM 

FIG.    i. —  Floor    plan    showing    indirect    cOnne.ction    between 
kitchen  and  back  door  and  kitchen  and  dining  room. 

tion  the  kitchen  opens  directly  from  the  dining-room 
by  means  of  a  swinging  door.  It  is  better,  how- 
ever, to  have  a  small  pantry  between.  (See  sim- 
plest type  butler's  pantry,  Fig.  i.)  This  pantry 
gives  wonderful  storage  facilities,  prevents  odors 
from  passing  from  the  kitchen  to  the  dining-room, 
and  deadens  the  noise  between  the  two  rooms.  It 
may  be  small  or  large,  but  if  rightly  planned  every 


22  THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

inch  of  wall  space  may  be  made  available.  A  work- 
ing shelf  twenty  to  twenty-eight  inches  wide 
and  thirty-two  inches  from  the  floor  may  be  built 
around  two  or  three  sides  of  the  pantry.  Under 
this,  shallow  drawers  may  be  built  in  to  hold  dining- 
room  supplies,  or  kitchen  supplies  that  cannot  be  kept 
in  the  kitchen.  This  wide  shelf  may  be  stained 
and  varnished,  or  it  may  be  covered  with  zinc.  It 
ought  to  be  left  free  as  a  place  for  keeping  salads, 
desserts,  etc.,  that  are  ready  for  the  table,  or  to  pro- 
vide a  working-place  for  making  salads  and  sand- 
wiches, or  cutting  bread  and  cake.  Above  it  should 
be  narrow  open  shelves  for  dishes.  This  arrange- 
ment is  far  less  expensive  than  the  wide-shelf  cup- 
boards with  glass  doors,  will  hold  more  and  be 
more  accessible.  A  pantry  of  this  kind  is  the  ideal 
location  for  the  refrigerator,  making  it  equally  ac- 
cessible to  dining-room  and  kitchen. 

The  kitchen  should  have,  wherever  possible,  an 
indirect  connection  with  the  outer  door.  This  pre- 
vents much  tracking  in  of  dirt,  and  saves  the  worker 
from  needless  interruption.  The  advantages  of  this 
plan  are  illustrated  in  Fig.  i. 

Whatever  arrangement  is  made,  care  should  be 
taken  to  have  the  outer  door  so  placed  that  the 
kitchen  will  be  protected  from  the  cold  winter  winds. 
The  north  opening  found  in  many  homes  makes 
the  kitchen  a  bleak  place  in  cold  weather.  If  the 
door  itself  faces  north  the  entrance  porch  should  be 
partly  enclosed  and  given  a  more  favorable  exposure. 


PQ  .c 


PLANNING  THE  KITCHEN  23 

Arrangement  of  Windows. 

Good  light  and  good  ventilation  are  secured  by 
having  enough  windows  and  having  them  rightly 
placed.  They  ought  to  be  so  placed  as  to  make  a 


'  'KITCHEN 

r 

DININ6 

ROOM 

HALL 

SITTING- 
ROOM 

1 

'  KITCHEN 

PANTRY 

c.lc. 

DINING 
ROOM 

HALL 

SITTING- 

ROOM 

STTLE.'ET 

FIG.  2.  FIG.  3. 

cross  draft  possible.  In  most  kitchens  two  windows 
are  enough.  If  they  are  built  in  opposite  or  ad- 
joining walls,  good  ventilation  will  also  be  assured. 
Suppose  a  house  of  the  simplest  possible  con- 
struction. (See  Fig.  2.)  In  this  the  kitchen  is  the 
northwest  room.  The  rear  door  opens  toward  the 


24  THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

north.  There  is  no  place  for  windows  except  in 
the  west  wall.  By  building  the  kitchen  with  a 
slight  jog  or  L,  as  shown  in  Fig.  3,  and  enclosing 
the  rear  door  with  a  vestibule  or  storm  door  open- 
ing east,  the  following  advantages  are  secured : 

The  kitchen  is  given  cross  draft  west  and  south. 
Its  two  windows  in  adjoining  walls  give  better  light 
than  if  both  were  placed  in  the  same  wall.  The  few 
feet  of  extra  width  render  possible  a  narrow  pantry 
between  the  kitchen  and  dining-room.  The  vesti- 
bule or  storm  door  at  the  back  protects  the  kitchen 
from  the  North  wind.* 

The  additional  expense  will  be  more  than  repaid 
by  the  extra  comfort  and  efficiency  of  the  kitchen. 
In  case  of  a  very  narrow  margin  for  expense  it 
would  be  worth  while  to  slightly  reduce  the  scale 
of  the  entire  house  to  allow  for  this  important  ad- 
vantage in  construction. 

If  both  windows  must  be  in  the  same  wall,  as 
sometimes  happens,  then  there  should  be  a  ventilat- 
ing register  in  the  opposite  wall  or  a  transom  over 
the  kitchen  door  leading  to  the  porch  or  vestibule. 
Windows  and  doors  should  never  be  so  located  as 
to  badly  break  up  the  wall  space.  It  requires  care 
in  planning  to  avoid  this;  but  the  extra  trouble  is 
well  worth  while. 

It  is  also  a  good  plan  to  have  the  windows  placed 
higher  in  the  kitchen  than  in  the  other  rooms,  so 

*  The  great  comfort  in  summer  of  a  direct  draft  through 
the  kitchen  from  North  to  South  would  be  secured  by  hav- 
ing a  window  in  the  vestibule  on  the  North  side. 


PLANNING  THE  KITCHEN  25 

that  if  necessary,  a  table  or  sink  may  be  placed 
underneath.  A  good  height  for  the  lower  sill  is 
3J4  feet  from  the  floor.  Sometimes  cross  ventila- 
tion can  be  accomplished  by  extending  the  kitchen 
wall  beyond  the  outline  of  the  rest  of  the  house. 

Ventilation. 

Under  ordinary  conditions  good  ventilation  will 
be  secured  by  the  proper  location  of  the  windows 
and  outer  door.  In  addition  to  this  there  must  be 
the  right  flue  connection  for  gas  or  coal  stove.  Gas 
stoves  are  often  installed  without  flue  connection, 
but  it  is  a  bad  practice.  The  best  arrangement  is 
to  have  the  gas  range  connected  with  a  flue  and  a 
hood  above.  A  ventilating  register  placed  under 
the  hood  will  carry  off  all  unpleasant  odors.  The 
cost  of  such  an  arrangement  is  about  twelve  dollars. 

Chimney  Flues,  Gas  Pipes  and  Water  Pipes. 

Where  a  coal  range  is  to  be  used  a  separate  flue 
must  be  provided  for  it  in  building  the  chimney. 
Very  often  the  same  flue  is  used  -for  both  the  kitchen 
range  and  the  dining-room  fireplace,  with  very  dis- 
appointing results.  Improper  draft  makes  it-  im- 
possible to  get  good  service  from  a  coal  range.  And 
where  the  flue  is  shared  with  the  kitchen  range,  the 
fireplace  is  very  apt  to  smoke.  Each  flue  compart- 
ment should  be  at  least  eight  by  eight  inches. 

The  location  of  chimney  flues,  gas  pipes  and  water 
pipes  in  the  kitchen  must  be  worked  out  in  connec- 


26  THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

tion  with  the  general  plan  of  the  house  systems. 
If  the  housekeeper  explains  to  the  architect  the  spe- 
cial needs  that  must  be  met  in  the  kitchen  he  can 
make  these  systems  conform  to  meet  her  needs. 
But  it  is  a  difficult  matter  to  do  this  if  the  general 
house  plans  have  been  worked  out  before  the  de- 
signing of  the  kitchen  is  begun.  The  needs  of  the 
kitchen  are  of  such  vital  importance  that  it  is  well 
worth  while  to  make  these  the  starting  point. 

Artificial  Lighting. 

In  the  lighting  of  the  kitchen  the  matter  of  chief 
importance  is  to  provide  for  enough  light.  Where 
electricity  is  used  one  kitchen  bulb  centrally  located 
and  equipped  with  a  Tungsten  globe  of  sixty  Watts, 
will  give  ample  light  for  a  small  kitchen.  For  a 
larger  room  two  will  be  needed,  and  ought  to  be  so 
placed  that  the  stove  and  sink  are  both  well  lighted. 
If  gas  is  used,  the  gas  jets  should  be  equipped  with 
mantles  and  chimneys,  and  the  mantles  renewed 
when  necessary. 

For  country  kitchens  alcohol  bracket  lamps  give 
a  more  brilliant  light  than  kerosene  and  require 
much  less  care.  The  ordinary  alcohol  lamp,  burn- 
ing denatured  alcohol  and  equipped  with  a  mantle, 
gives  a  forty-five  candle-power  light.  The  chim- 
neys never  get  sooty  and  need  only  occasional  wash- 
ing to  keep  the  glass  clear.  Denatured  alcohol  may 
be  purchased  by  the  barrel  for  approximately  forty 
cents  a  gallon. 


PLANNING  THE  KITCHEN  27 

Kerosene  is  much  less  expensive  than  alcohol  if 
the  cost  in  money  alone  is  considered.  Kerosene 
lamps  may  now  be  purchased  with  mantles.  Great 
improvement  has  been  made  in  their  manufacture. 
The  smell  of  kerosene  on  the  hands,  however,  makes 
the  care  of  these  lamps  an  unpleasant  task.  And 
the  care  necessary  is  no  small  item.  Daily  cleaning 
and  washing  of  chimneys  is  required,  with  frequent 
renewing  of  wicks  in  order  to  get  good  results  and 
prevent  the  lamps  from  giving  off  an  unpleasant 
odor  while  burning. 

Finish  of  Walls  and  Ceiling. 

There  are  almost  as  many  grades  of  plaster  finish 
on  the  market  in  these  days  as  there  are  kinds  of 
eggs.  In  .olden  times  an  egg  not  absolutely  above 
suspicion  was  a  bad  egg.  To-day  we  have  all  grades 
from  "  strictly  fresh "  to  "  boxed  eggs."  Every 
grade,  in  fact,  except  downright  bad  eggs.  These 
are  sold  without  labels.  In  the  same  way  plaster 
of  all  grades  is  now  offered  the  credulous  customer. 
It  is  a  difficult  matter  to  get  the  permanent,  hard- 
finished  plaster  which  is  the  only  kind  worth  having 
on  the  walls.  It  is  particularly  important  to  have 
this  grade  of  plaster  in  the  kitchen.  The  only  way 
to  secure  it  is  by  having  the  work  done  by  the  most 
reliable  mason  you  know  and  paying  the  price. 

There  are  two  finishes  which  can  be  recom- 
mended, each  having  its  advantages.  The  first  is 
the  smooth,  hard-trowel  finish,  which  is  best  if  the 


28  THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

walls  are  to  be  painted.  Such  a  finish  is  very  clean 
and  sanitary.  It  needs  wiping  over  occasionally 
with  a  damp  flannel  cloth  fastened  around  a  broom ; 
and  should  have  a  thorough  washing  once  a  year 
to  remove  the  more  permanent  stains.  This  is  hard 
work,  especially  for  the  upper  part  of  the  walls  and 
the  ceiling.  For  this  reason  many  prefer  the  rough 
tinted  finish  which  can  be  kept  clean  by  wiping 
off  once  a  month,  and  be  freshened  once  a  year  by  a 
new  coat  of  tint.  When  this  finish  is  selected  the 
tinting  is  done  in  the  first  instance  by  mixing  the  tint 
with  the  final  coat  of  plaster.  The  yearly  tinting 
is  no  more  expensive  than  the  paint-washing. 

Treatment  of  Old  Kitchen  Walls. 

In  the  case  of  old  kitchens,  one  must  be  guided  by 
the  condition  of  the  walls.  If  these  are  well 
preserved,  the  ceiling  and  upper  half  of  the  wall 
may  be  tinted  and  the  lower  half  painted  a  color  to 
exactly  match  the  tint.  This  treatment  may  also 
be  used  for  new  wralls  where  it  is  desirable  to  give 
the  wainscoting  a  more  permanent  finish  than  a 
tinted  surface.  One  firm  makes  a  tint  and  paint 
to  match.  Care  must  be  taken  to  properly  remove 
the  old  finish  before  applying  the  new. 

Cost  of  Wall  Finish. 

It  is  impossible  to  give  more  than  a  rough  esti- 
mate of  the  cost  of  wall  finishes.  Decorators  of 
experience  tell  us  that  the  difference  in  plaster  finish 


PLANNING  THE  KITCHEN  29 

makes  it  impossible  to  give  general  estimates.  One 
wall  will  absorb  three  times  as  much  kalsomine  or 
paint  as  another  will  require.  There  are  also  dif- 
ferent grades  of  workmanship.  One  contractor 
gave  the  range  of  prices  for  kalsomining,  including 
labor  and  material,  at  from  three  cents  to  a  dollar 
and  a  half  per  square  yard!  The  difference  was 
largely  due  to  difference  in  workmanship.  The 
same  difference  prevails  in  painting,  prices  ranging 
from  four  cents  per  square  yard  to  a  dollar  and 
twenty  cents.  In  the  case  of  kalsomine  the  ex- 
pense for  material  is  very  little,  and  for  ordinary 
work  does  not  require  skilled  labor.  Often  it  can 
be  done  by  a  member  of  the  household. 

The  cost  of  materials  is,  approximately,  as  fol- 
lows : 

Kalsomine,  one  to  three  coats,  cost  per  square  yard,  one 

cent  each  coat. 
Paint,  one  to  two  coats,  cost  per  square  yard,  four  and  a 

half  cents  each  coat. 
Washable  oilcloth  paper,  one  and  a  half  yards  wide,  cost 

per  yard,  26  cents. 

The  number  of  coats  of  kalsomine  needed  de- 
pends upon  the  kind  of  plaster  and  the  condition 
of  the  walls.  At  least  two  are  usually  necessary. 
If  the  wall  is  cracked  the  cracks  should  be  filled 
with  plaster  of  Paris  and  touched  up  with  shellac 
before  putting  on  the  kalsomine. 

New  surfaces  require  at  least  two  coats  of  paint. 
Two  are  usually  enough  unless  the  grain  of  the 
wood  is  pronounced  and  it  is  to  be  painted  white. 


30  THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

Two  coats  are  necessary  where  paint  is  put  on  over 
a  darker  color.  If  there  is  little  change  in  color  one 
coat  will  be  enough. 

Flat  paints  that  are  washable  cover  more  surface 
than  the  oil  paints,  and  are  much  used  for  that  rea- 
son. The  cost  of  labor  in  different  localities  and  for 
different  grades  of  work  varies  greatly.  The  ordi- 
nary price  is  four  dollars  to  four  and  a  half  per  day. 

Wall  paper  should  never  be  put  on  kitchen  walls. 
The  only  exception  to  this  is  the  washable  oil-cloth 
paper,  which  is  recommended  where  the  walls  are 
in  bad  condition  and  need  strengthening.  This 
paper  comes  in  various  colors  for  the  side  walls, 
with  ceiling  paper  to  correspond.  The  gloss  finish 
is  the  best  for  kitchen  use,  although  the  choice  of 
colors  and  patterns  is  more  limited  than  in  the 
"  tinted "  and  "  mercerized "  finish.  As  stains 
often  get  on  the  kitchen  walls  which  require  more 
than  wiping  off  these  more  attractive  finishes  cannot 
be  recommended.  This  paper  comes  a  yard  and  a 
half  wide  and  costs  26  cents  a  yard. 

An  ideal  finish  for  the  side  walls  of  the  kitchen 
is  glazed  tile.  The  cost,  however,  is  prohibitive  for 
the  average  home,  being  sixty  to  seventy-five  cents 
per  square  foot.  Tiling  may  be  used  for  the  base- 
board and  half-way  up  the  wall,  the  upper  part  being 
painted.  This  is  a  very  satisfactory  and  perma- 
nent finish. 


PLANNING  THE  KITCHEN  31 

The  Kitchen  Floor. 

For  the  average  home  a  well-laid  kitchen  floor 
covered  with  inlaid  linoleum  will  give  the  most  satis- 
factory result  for  the  amount  of  money  spent.  The 
best  grade  of  linoleum  costs  from  $1.60  to  $1.75 
per  square  yard,  and  if  properly  laid  and  cared  for 
will  last  twenty  years.  The  flooring  beneath  need 
not  be  hard  wood,  but  it  must  be  evenly  laid.  If  it 
is  not  even  it  should  be  made  so  before  laying  the 
linoleum. 

To  lay  a  linoleum  well  is  the  work  of  an  expert 
and  should  never  be  attempted  by  the  amateur. 
Whenever  it  is  possible*  have  the  firm  that  furnishes 
and  lays  the  linoleum,  take  the  measurements  also. 
Very  accurate  measurements  are  required.  And  if 
a  mistake  is  made  it  is  well  to  be  in  a  position  to  hold 
the  dealers  responsible.  The  price  for  laying  the 
linoleum  covers  taking  the  measurements,  cutting 
and  laying,  and  a  third  trip  a  month  later,  after 
the  linoleum  has  had  time  to  "  stretch  "  to  tack  it 
in  position.  In  the  city  the  charge  for  this  work 
is  usually  ten  cents  a  square  yard.  For  out-of-town 
homes  four  or  five  dollars  and  traveling  expenses 
is  charged.  This  price  includes  the  time  required 
for  the  three  trips,  but  does  not  include  railroad 
fares. 

If  in  spite  of  every  precaution  the  linoleum  should 
"  buckle  "  the  firm  should  be  promptly  notified  so 
that  the  trouble  may  be  rectified  at  once.  Even  the 


32  THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

best  grade  will  soon  wear  out  if  these  ridges  are  al- 
lowed to  remain. 

If  water  is  allowed  to  get  under  the  surface  of 
linoleum  it  causes  serious  damage.  For  this  reason 
great  care  should  be  taken  in  wiping  up.  And  water 
spilled  on  it  should  not  be  allowed  to  remain.  An 
excellent  precaution  is  to  cement  the  edges  together, 
where  piecing  is  necessary.  It  may  also  be  cemented 
round  the  edges.  The  best  plan  is  to  have  a  half 
inch,  quarter-round  molding  tacked  to  the  side  wall 
just  above  the  edge  of  the  linoleum.  Never  nail 
the  molding  through  the  linoleum.  This  covers 
the  open  space  allowed  for  stretching  and  makes  a 
neat  finish. 

It  is  not  necessary  that  the  flooring  underneath 
the  linoleum  be  of  hard  wood.  It  will  save  ex- 
pense to  use  a  good  grade  of  cheap,  strong  North 
Carolina  pine.  The  best  width  for  flooring  is  two 
or  two  and  a  half  inch.  The  cost  of  such  wood 
when*  purchased  of  a  reliable  firm  which  thoroughly 
kiln-dries  its  flooring  is  about  four  cents  per  square 
foot.  This  is  for  the  seven-eighths-inch  flooring, 
which  wears  better  than  the  half -inch.  For  a  cost 
of  two  to  three  cents  more  per  square  foot  one  may 
secure  the  best  grade  of  edge-grained  North  Caro- 
lina pine  or  clear  maple  flooring.  These  two  latter 
floorings  may  be  used  without  linoleum.  They 
should  be  stained  and  treated  to  two  coats  of  special 
floor  varnish,  and  then  be  kept  waxed.  This  makes 
an  excellent  floor,  but  is  not  as  comfortable  to  stand 


PLANNING  THE  KITCHEN  33 

on  or  as  easily  cared  for  as  the  linoleum.  In  esti- 
mating the  cost  of  flooring,  as  the  material  is 
tongued  and  grooved,  it  will  be  necessary  to  allow 
twenty-five  per  cent  more  than  the  actual  area  to 
be  covered  by  the  North  Carolina  pine;  and  thirty- 
five  per  cent  more  for  the  maple.  For  100  square 
feet  of  floor  space,  for  example,  one  would  need 
125  square  feet  of  North  Carolina  pine;  or  135 
square  feet  of  maple.  The  cost  of  laying  and 
scraping  such  a  floor  will  ordinarily  be  about  four 
cents  per  square  foot,  but  may  be  much  higher  in 
certain  localities. 

Oiling  kitchen  floors  is  not  to  be  recommended. 
For  other  parts  of  the  house  an  oiled  floor,  when 
properly  done,  is  very  satisfactory.  But  in  the 
kitchen  it  is  difficult  to  care  for  because  stains  are 
so  hard  to  remove.  It  is  very  important  to  have 
the  kitchen  floor  comfortable  to  stand  on,  easy  to 
keep  clean,  and  durable.  For  all  these  reasons  hard- 
wood  floors  are  not  as  desirable  for  the  kitchen  as 
linoleum. 

Under  certain  conditions  other  floor  coverings  are 
preferred  to  linoleum.  Where  great  economy  must 
be  exercised  in  building  and  outfitting,  the  painted 
floor  may  be  selected.  Two  coats  of  good  floor  paint 
in  tan  or  gray  are  attractive  in  appearance  and  wear 
fairly  well.  When  worn  spots  appear  they  should  be 
touched  up  at  once.  If  the  floor  is  not  hard- wood 
it  should  be  given  two  coats  of  shellac  before  the 
paint  is  applied,  and  all  cracks  should  first  of  all  be 


34  THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

filled  with  crack  filler.  For  laying  such  a  floor  the 
cost  of  lumber  and  labor  will  be  about  eight  cents 
per  square  foot;  the  cost  of  paint  and  labor  about 
two  cents  per  square  foot.  The  painting  may  be 
done  at  home.  Some  home-makers  get  very  expert 
with  the  use  of  the  paint  brush. 
r  Many  kitchens  in  newly  built  homes  have  cement 
floors.  The  different  cement  preparations  are  called 
by  various  names,  but  are  very  much  alike  in  their 
general  properties.  It  is  a  matter  of  considerable 
skill  to  lay  them;  and  unless  well  laid  they  crack 
and  are  easily  disfigured.  These  floors  have  base- 
boards continuous  \vith  the  flooring  and  are  ideal 
for  purposes  of  keeping  clean.  If  porches,  halls, 
and  entrances  have  this  flooring,  as  well  as  the 
kitchen,  the  cost  is  not  prohibitive.  The  firms 
usually  quote  a  price  of  about  twenty-five  cents  per 
square  foot,  where  three  hundred  and  fifty  square 
feet  are  laid  at  one  time.  This  is  because  it  is 
necessary  to  send  out  experts  especially  to  do  the 
work,  and  it  costs  nearly  as  much  to  execute  small 
orders  as  larger  ones.  An  extra  charge  of  thirty 
cents  per  lineal  foot  is  made  for  a  four-inch  sanitary 
base  board  laid  at  the  same  time.  The  foundations 
under  the  flooring  must  meet  certain  requirements 
in  order  to  have  this  price  apply.  These  floorings 
come  in  tan,  deep  red,  mottled  and  green.  The 
mottled  is  a  very  good  kitchen  color.  The  tans  and 
reds  are  recommended  because  the  colors  run  evenly. 
The  green  is  by  far  the  prettiest  for  porches.  The 


PLANNING  THE  KITCHEN  35 

only  serious  objection  to  the  cement  flooring  for 
kitchen  use  is  that  it  is  not  restful  to  stand  on.  This 
may  be  obviated  by  having  rubber  or  washable  rugs 
in  front  of  the  sink  and  work  table. 

The  natural  cement  floors  are  not  attractive  in 
appearance  and  crack  unless  carefully  laid.  The 
colored  preparations  are  therefore  to  be  preferred. 

Tile  flooring  of  the  vitrified  kind  makes  a  very 
attractive  looking  floor.  But  it  is  hard  on  the  feet, 
"  death  to  china "  and  costs  about  forty  cents  a 
square  foot. 

Treatment  of  Wbod-ivork  in  Kitchens. 

Hard  wood  is  more  important  for  the  wood-work 
of  the  kitchen  than  in  any  other  room  in  the  house. 
The  kitchen  wood-work  gets  such  hard  wear,  and 
needs  so  much  cleaning,  that  a  permanent  and  sani- 
tary finish  is  the  ideal  one.  An  inexpensive  harH- 
wood  that  can  be  treated  with  a  turpentine  stain 
and  then  waxed,  makes  an  excellent  finish.  Equally 
durable  is  the  varnish  finish,  but  the  effect  is  not  so 
good. 

By  far  the  most  attractive  finish  for  wood-work 
is  white  enamel  paint.     For  a  new  kitchen,  if  this 
is  to  be  the  finish,  the  wood  must  be  selected  with 
great  care.     Some  kinds  of  wood  have  such  a  de- 
cided grain  that   four  or  five  coats  of  white  are 
necessary  to  cover  them  up.     The  best  wood  for* 
this  purpose  is  white  wood,  which  will  require  but ' 
two  coats  of  paint,  and  one  coat  of  enamel.     This 


36  THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

finish  must  have  daily  care,  and  will  need  renewing 
in  two  or  three  years.  It  is  therefore  not  to  be 
recommended  for  households  where  labor  must  be 
economized,  or  where  the  expense  of  renewing 
would  be  a  serious  matter. 

Kitchen  wood-work  that  has  become  shabby  may 
be  treated  with  two  coats  of  tan  or  gray  paint. 
This  helps  wonderfully  in  giving  a  fresh  and  clean 
appearance  to  an  old  kitchen.  But  it  must  be 
treated  with  care,  frequently  touched  up  and  re- 
newed when  necessary.  For  this  reason  a  hard  wax 
or  varnish  finish  is  to  be  preferred  wherever  it  is 
possible  to  have  it. 


III 

SCIENTIFIC  GROUPING 

A  MOST  efficient  means  of  conserving  the 
worker's  time  and  strength  is  found  in 
the  new  scientific  method  of  grouping  the 
various  utensils  and  materials,  not  according  to  kind, 
but  according  to  the  uses  they  serve. 

In  most  kitchens  groceries  are  kept  together  in 
one  closet ;  agate-ware  utensils  in  another ;  cooked 
food  in  still  another;  service  dishes  which  are  part 
of  a  set,  in  the  dining-room.  This  is  a  logical  ar- 
rangement, and  we  do  not  see  that  it  is  wasteful  of 
labor  until  we  begin  to  work.  Then  we  find  that  the 
waste  of  steps  involved  in  getting  equipment  and 
material  together  for  any  one  process  becomes  a  very 
serious  loss  indeed,  not  only  of  the  time  but  of  the 
energy  of  the  worker.  We  see  that  if  we  are  to 
conserve  labor  and  energy  we  must  adopt  a  plan 
of  grouping  that  will  coordinate  utensils  and  ma- 
terials as  they  are  needed  for  the  actual  work  to  be 
done. 

Before  discussing  the  new  theory,  let  us  analyze 
two  simple  processes  repeated  every  day  in  the 
kitchen,  and  see  how  laborious  is  the  old  way  of 
getting  them  accomplished,  as  a  result  of  the  wrong 

37 


38  THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

method  of  grouping.  The  first  is  the  very  simple 
task  of  making  tea.  As  freshly  boiled  water  is  a 
necessity  for  good  tea,  our  first  step  is  to  empty 
and  partly  refill  the  tea-kettle,  or  get  a  small  stew- 
pan  and  cover  and  boil  water  enough  for  our  tea 
on  the  stove.  This  will  mean  two  trips  if  the  tea- 
kettle is  used;  and  four  if  we  must  get  a  stew-pan 
from  a  closet,  a  cover  from  the  rack,  and  go  to  the 
sink  to  fill  our  utensil,  and  then  to  the  stove  to  boil 
the  water.  Next,  while  the  water  is  boiling,  we  go 
to  the  china  closet  and  get  the  teapot,  to  the  shelf 
where  groceries  are  kept  for  the  tea,  to  the  dining- 
room  for.  cups,  saucers,  spoons  and  sugar  bowl. 
Then  we  make  the  tea.  We  have  made  in  the  first 
case,  five  trips  about  the  room  in  order  to  get  our 
materials  together;  in  the  second  case,  where  a 
small  saucepan  and  cover  are  used,  seven  trips. 
Compare  the  great  waste  of  labor  in  this  simple 
process,  with  the  ease  of  making  tea  by  the  new 
method.  In  this  latter  case  we  have  the  entire  tea- 
making  outfit  grouped  near  the  sink.  We  stand 
at  the  sink  and  reach  for  the  stew-pan  or  tea-kettle, 
and  fill  it  with  water,  take  two  steps  to  the  stove 
and  put  the  water  on  to  boil.  The  pot-covers  are 
just  back  of  the  stove.  The  teapot  and  tea  canister 
are  on  a  shelf  above  the  sink,  and  cups,  saucers  and 
spoons  are  placed  beside  them.  In  making  our  tea 
this  second  time  we  have  moved  perhaps  five  feet 
in  all,  and  cut  in  two  the  labor  and  effort  required 
to  do  the  work.  In  the  former  case  we  had  to  make 


SCIENTIFIC  GROUPING  39 

five  or  seven  trips  to  different  parts  of  the  kitchen 
and  dining-room,  and  probably  walk  at  least  twenty- 
five  feet,  in  order  to  accomplish  the  self-same  task. 

Another  very  simple  task  performed  at  least  three 
times  a  day  is  the  cutting  of  bread.  With  the  bread 
box  on  the  table  in  the  pantry,  the  bread  knife  in 
the  cutlery  drawer,  the  bread  board  hanging  up 
against  an  opposite  kitchen  wall,  we  must  make 
three  separate  trips  in  order  to  get  our  materials  to- 
gether and  prepare  to  do  the  work. 

Every  separate  task  or  process  that  we  analyze 
shows  the  same  wastefulness  of  labor  and  time,  due 
to  the  fact  that  our  kitchen  outfit  and  supplies  are 
wrongly  coordinated.  We  begin  to  realize  how 
serious  is  this  waste  when  we  remember  that  very 
many  of  the  kitchen  tasks  are  performed  three  times 
a  day;  and  that  the  number  of  separate  processes 
carried  on  each  day  in  even  the  simplest  kitchen  is 
between  twenty-five  and  a  hundred.  It  is  no  ex- 
aggeration to  say  that  at  least  two  hours  a  day 
are  lost  in  the  average  kitchen  by  improper  group- 
ing of  supplies  and  utensils.  Where  servants  are 
kept  and  the  living  is  elaborate  it  often  requires 
the  services  of  an  extra  maid  to  make  up  for  the 
lack  of  efficient  arrangement.  It  is  therefore  clear 
that  the  new  idea  must  be  applied  to  every  detail 
from  the  original  laying  out  of  the  kitchen,  the 
locating  of  the  sink,  stove  and  \vork  table,  to  prop- 
erly sub-dividing  the  most  insignificant  of  the 
kitchen  tools.  On  this  basis  we  proceed  to  group 


40  THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

the  utensils  around  the  fixed  equipment  to  which 
they  belong,  which  gives  a  grouping  like  the  fol- 
lowing : 

Articles  to  be  grouped  near  the  range : 

Salt  Box.  Match  Box. 

Flour  Dredger.  Empty  Box  for  Matches. 

Pepper  Dredger.  Stove  Cloths. 

Pot  Covers.  Asbestos  Mats 

Frying  Pans.  Griddle  (in  Winter  time). 

Dripping  Pans.  Rack  for  Dish  Towels. 

Articles  to  be  grouped  near  the  sink : 

Dish  Pan. 

Dish  Drainer. 

Rubber  Sink  Stopper. 

Three-foot  Rubber  Tubing  with  thread  connection. 

Cleaning  outfit  to  be  grouped  near  sink : 

Sink  Solutions. 

Scouring  Soap. 

Corn  Meal  for  Care  of  Hands. 

Bay-Rum  Lotion  for  Hands. 

Group  on  shelf  above  sink: 

Teapot  and  Tea  Canister.  Pitchers,  Assorted  Sizes. 

Percolator  and  Coffee  Can-  Stew  Pans  (either  on  shelf 
ister.  or   suspended   from  wall 

Double  Boiler.  below). 

Suspend  from  edge  of  shelf  or  wall  back  of  sink 
the  following  small  implements : 

Soap  Shaker.  Vegetable  Brush. 

Soap  Dish.  Bottle-Cleaning  Brush. 

Dish  Mop.  Small  Funnel. 

Sink  Shovel.  Small  Wire  Strainers. 

Wire  Whisk  Sink  Brush.        Plate  Scrapers. 

Pot  Scraper. 

Place  in  open-shelf  cupboard  near  sink: 


SCIENTIFIC  GROUPING  41 

Outfit  of  Dishes  for  Left-Over  Food 
6  Small  Agate  Pans. 
4  Agate  Pans,  2  to  3  quart  Capacity. 
6  Agate  Plates. 
4  Larger  Agate  Plates. 
Kitchen  China  as  Required  by  Size  of  Family. 

At  right  of  sink  have  nickel  towel-bar  for  hand 
towel,  or  a  roll  of  paper  toweling.  If  possible  have 
a  drawer  near  sink  where  may  be  kept  a  supply  of 
kitchen  towels,  wash  cloths'  and  cheese-cloth  for 
straining. 

We  then  plan  to  group  the  supplies  and  utensils 
used  in  preparing  food  so  that  no  extra  steps  will 
have  to  be  taken  to  assemble  them  for  each  cooking 
operation.  This  gives  us  a  grouping  like  the  fol- 
lowing near  the  work-table : 

Articles  to  be  grouped  near  work  table : 

2  Measuring  Cups.  Puree  Strainer. 

4  Small     White  4  Yellow  Containers  for  Spices. 

Bowls.  Jars  for  Grocery  Supplies. 

Yellow  Mixing  Bowls.  Containers  for  Flour,  Sugar, 

2  Baking  Dishes,  2-pint  and  Rice,  and  Cereals. 

3-pint  sizes.  Cutlery  Outfit 

Rolling  Pin.  I  dozen  teaspoons. 

Pastry  Board.  4  to  6  kitchen  knives. 

Pie  Plates.  4  to  6  kitchen  forks. 

Cake  Mixer.  4  to  6  table-spoons. 

Cake  Tins,  Various  Kinds.  A  good  meat  knife. 

Muffin  Tins.  Spatula. 

Cutters  for  Cookies,  Dough-  Apple  Corer.' 

nuts,  etc.  2  Vegetable  Knives. 

Bread  Mixer.  Outfit  of  Measuring 

Flour  Sifter.  Spoons. 

Liquid  Shortening.  Scissors. 

Bread  Pans.  Mixing  Spoons. 

Meat  Grinder.  Wooden  Spoons. 

Crank  Beater.  Egg  Beater, 


42  THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

We  shall  find  certain  other  utensils  that  require 
special  shelves  or  closets,  on  account  of  their  size; 
and  certain  outfits  that  are  used  constantly  in  some 
kitchens  and  not  at  all  in  others.  We  group  these 
in  the  following: 

Special  list: 

Steamers.  Outfit  for  Deep-fat  Frying 

Portable  Oven.  Frying  Basket. 

Waffle  Iron.  Scotch  Kettle. 

Toaster.  Pail  for  Frying-fat. 

A  salad  outfit  in  the  average  family  would  in- 
clude :  Salt  shaker,  pepper  shaker,  paprica,  gar- 
lic cloves,  vinegar  bottle,  oil  bottle. 

In  every'  kitchen  where  there  is  no  pantry  between 
kitchen  and  dining-room,  a  special  place  must  be 
provided  for  the  bread  box,  bread  board  and 
bread  knife.  Also  a  cake  box  and  a  container  for 
crackers,  etc. 

The  fireless  cooker  should  be  near  the  kitchen 
stove;  and  convenient  storage  place  near  at  hand 
should  be  provided  for  the  fireless  cooker  utensils 
when  not  in  use. 

We  have  outlined  above  a  grouping  that  is  based 
on  the  principle  of  conserving  labor  and  energy,  and 
that  may  be  adapted  to  the  needs  of  any  kitchen 
no  matter  how  faulty  its  construction.  It  requires 
comparatively  small  expense  to  make  a  kitchen  con- 
venient, in  so  far  as  convenience  depends  upon 
the  proper  arrangement  and  coordination  of  its 
portable  equipment  and  supplies. 


SCIENTIFIC  GROUPING  43 

The  processes  analyzed  thus  far  have  been  those 
that  are  carried  on  and  completed  in  the  kitchen. 
There  are  others  which  have  to  do  with  both  kitchen 
and  dining-room.  Take  for  example  those  involv- 
ing the  use  of  supplies  common  to  both  kitchen  and 
dining-room  needs,  like  butter,  milk,  bread,  crackers 
and  drinking  water.  The  best  place  for  these  is 
clearly  the  little  pantry  between  the  kitchen  and 
dining-room,  where  they  are  equally  accessible  to 
both  rooms.  This  end  will  be  gained  by  placing  the 
refrigerator,  bread  box,  etc.,  in  the  pantry;  and 
having  near  at  hand  the  special  utensils  required  for 
serving  or  handling  these  supplies. 

After  the  cooking  is  done  and  the  meal  is  ready 
to  be  served,  we  find  that  the  table  dishes  divide 
themselves  into  three  groups:  First,  those  used  to 
hold  the  cooked  food;  second,  the  dishes  that  must 
be  warmed  before  they  are  ready  for  table  use;  and 
third,  those  that  are  used  just  as  they  are.  While 
these  groups  are  handled  in  three  separate  and  dis- 
tinct ways,  they  all  belong  to  the  same  set  of  china. 
By  the  old  method  of  grouping  they  would  all  be 
kept  together  in  the  dining-room  closet.  We  shall 
now  divide  them  so  that  they  will  be  rightly  grouped 
for  their  work.  We  take  the  platters,  vegetable 
dishes  and  gravy  boat  to  the  kitchen  closet;  the 
plates,  cups  and  saucers  to  a  closet  warmed  by  a 
coil  from  the  furnace,  so  that  they  will  be  kept 
at  the  right  temperature  and  ready  for  use  at  any 
time.  We  leave  the  third  division  in  the  dining- 


44  THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

room  closet,  as  near  as  possible  to  the  linen  supply 
and  other  table  furnishings. 

This  scientific  grouping  has  been  tried  out  in  a 
great  number  of  cases  and  has  been  found  wonder- 
fully successful.  By  concentrating  the  working 
processes  in  one  corner  of  the  room,  large  kitchens 
have  been  made  almost  as  convenient  as  small  ones. 
Tiny  rooms  that  did  not  seem  large  enough  to  be 
utilized  for  kitchen  purposes  have  been  made  into 
most  convenient  kitchenettes.  And  awkward,  badly 
planned  kitchens  have  been  transformed  into  effi- 
cient work  rooms  at  small  expense,  just  because 
-working  materials  and  utensils  were  grouped  in  a 
way  that  helped  the  work  along  instead  of  hinder- 
ing and  setting  it  back. 

PRINCIPLES   OF  KITCHEN   EFFICIENCY 

/ 

As  a  means  of  putting  into  effect  the  principles 
of  scientific  grouping,  it  will  be  found  very  helpful 
to  bear  in  mind  the  following  general  rules.  They 
are  based  on  the  same  idea  of  conserving  time  and 
strength,  and  thus  enabling  the  worker  to  concen- 
\  trate  on  constructive  work  all  her  best  energy. 

1.  Keep  nothing  in  the  kitchen  that  is  not  used 

every  day. 

2.  Things    used    oftenest    should    be    most    con- 

veniently near  at  hand. 

"  ,  3.  Grouping  of  utensils  and  supplies  should  be 
governed  by  the  principle  of  Coordination 
of  Processes. 


SCIENTIFIC  GROUPING  45 

4.  Have  narrow  shelves  with  one  row  of  things 

on  each. 

5.  Use  open   shelves  rather  than  cupboards  and 

closed  closets.  (An  exception  to  this  rule 
must  be  made  where  a  coal  range  is  used, 
and  the  kitchen  is  necessarily  dusty.) 

6.  Shelves  should  be  at  a  convenient  height,  none 

lower  than  12  inches  nor  higher  than  can  be 
easily  reached. 

7.  Nothing  should  be  permitted  to  rest  on  the  floor. 

This  saves  bending  over,  and  facilitates 
cleaning  the  kitchen  floor. 

8.  Have  nothing  in  the  kitchen  that  is  not  easy  to 

keep  clean. 

9.  Fixed  equipment  should  be  placed  where  the 

light  is  good. 

10.  Floor  covering  should  be  easy  to  keep  clean  and 

pleasant  for  the  feet  to  rest  on. 

1 1 .  Sniall  utensils  should  be  suspended  from  hooks 

and  cup-hooks  fastened  to  the  wall  or  the 
edge  of  shelves. 

12.  Sink  and  work  table  should  be  at  a  convenient 

height  for  the  worker. 

13.  There  should  be  a  special  place  for  each  thing 

used  in  the  kitchen. 


IV 
BUILT-IN  CONVENIENCES 

EVERY  kitchen  ought  to  be  so  equipped 
with  built-in  conveniences  that  the  porta- 
ble equipment  needed  to  make  it  a  perfect 
work-room  can  be  reduced  to  a  minimum.  In  this 
book  the  term  "  Built-in  Conveniences "  means 
shelf -room  and  such  other  home-made  contrivances 
as  a  carpenter  can  install. 

While  this  problem  has  been  well  worked  out  in 
city  apartments,  and  in  country  houses  too,  in  cer- 
tain sections  of  the  country,  as,  for  example,  the 
perfectly  equipped  California  bungalow,  it  is  still 
unsolved  in  a  large  majority  o>f  cases.  There  are 
millions  of  kitchens  in  this  country  which  could  be 
transformed  from  awkward,  inefficient  work-rooms 
into  convenient  and  well  arranged  work-rooms  at 
comparatively  small  expense,  by  making  a  few  vital 
alterations. 

A  family,  on  moving  into  a  rented  house,  usually 
finds  a  stove,  a  sink  and  a  china  closet,  nothing  more. 
And  the  last  is  a  purely  accidental  affair,  con- 
tingent on  the  exigencies  of  architecture.  Of  a  long 
list  of  built-in  conveniences  and  fixed  equipment 
which  every  home  requires,  these  are  the  only  needs 


BUILT-IN  CONVENIENCES  47 

universally  met,  even  in  a  primitive  way.  Yet  these 
needs,  one  and  all,  are  absolutely  essential  to  com- 
fort and  efficiency,  and  could,  with  very  slight  ex- 
pense, be  made  part  of  the  original  plan  and  struc- 
ture of  even  the  most  modestly  equipped  kitchen.. 

Let  us  consider  certain  of  these  elementary  needs 
which  are  common  to  all  households,  whether  rich 
or  poor,  and  see  how  they  may  be  met,  first  in  the 
building  of  new  houses,  second  in  transforming  old 
ones. 

NEEDS  TO  BE  MET  IN  EVERY  KITCHEN 

1.  Stove,  sink  and  work-table. 

2.  Storage  place  for  groceries. 

3.  Shelves,  closet  room  or  hooks  for  all  kitchen 

utensils, 

4.  Refrigeration  and  cold  storage  for  vegetables, 

fruit,  etc. 

5.  Provision  for  keeping  food  warm. 

6.  Temporary   receiving  place   for  incoming  sup- 

plies. 

7.  Place  for  cleaning  outfit  and  cleaning  prepara- 

tions. 

8.  Closet  for  wraps  near  back  entrance. 

9.  Box  for  coal  or  wood ;  shelf  for  kerosene  or  al- 

cohol can. 
10.  Provision  for  disposing  of  kitchen  waste. 

Problems  presented  by  the  stove,  sink,  work- 
table  and  refrigerator  will  be  considered  elsewhere 
in  this  boo1^,  as  will  the  very  important  subject  of 


48  THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

the  disposing  of  kitchen  waste.  This  chapter  is 
concerned  mainly  with  the  storage  problem,  with 
finding  a  place  for  things.  And  this  place  must  al- 
ways be  the  most  convenient  and  best  possible,  for 
the  purpose  of  efficiency,  of  conserving  the  time  and 
strength  of  the  worker. 

STORAGE  PLACE  FOR  GROCERIES 

In  the  old,  haphazard  kitchen  planning,  this  need 
has  usually  been  met  by  having  one  or  more  closets 
with  end-shelves  for  the  groceries.  Sometimes  this 
single  closet  or  pantry  must  also  hold  many  of  the 
kitchen  utensils.  The  shelves  were  usually  wide, 
so  that  articles  must  be  placed  on  them  several  layers 
deep.  And  the  floor  was  used  as  a  reserve  shelf. 

In  other  cases  separate  cupboards  with  wooden  or 
glass  doors  were  fastened  to  the  kitchen  wall,  and 
designed  to  hold  the  cooking  dishes,  the  larger  closet 
being  left  entirely  for  supplies.  In  our  trips  about 
the  country  we  find  numbers  of  kitchens  without 
any  closet  facilities  whatever;  many  with  only  one 
closet;  others  with  several.  The  location  and  num- 
ber of  closets,  or  the  absence  of  them  altogether  has 
depended  largely  on  how  the  outline  of  the  kitchen 
lent  itself  to  these  requirements. 

Approaching  the  matter  from  the  new  stand- 
point, that  of  creating  an  efficient  work  room,  we 
realize  at  once  that  proper  shelf -room,  conveniently 
located,  is  one  of  the  primary  needs  of  the  kitchen. 
We  make  that  our  starting-point  and  proceed  to 


BUILT-IN  CONVENIENCES  49 

consider  the  resources  and  possibilities  of  the  par- 
ticular kitchen  we  are  to  build  or  reconstruct. 

We  find  first  of  all  that  the  wall  space  can  be 
used  to  best  advantage  by  having  a  system  of  nar- 
row open  shelves,  rather  than  the  deep-shelf  closet 
or  the  cupboard  with  closed-in  shelves  and  doors. 
We  might  have  learned  this  long  ago  by  noticing 
how  much  can  be  neatly  and  conveniently  stored  on 
open  shelves  in  the  grocery  stores.  Narrow  shelves 
offer  immense  advantages  over  the  deep-shelf  plan. 
There  is  room  for  but  one  row  of  articles.  Not 
having  to  reach  behind  the  first  row  to  get  some- 
thing at  the  back  which,  perhaps,  we  cannot  see 
without  standing'  on  a  chair,  we  are  saved  loss  of 
time  and  energy  due  to  awkward  motions,  and  also 
the  danger  of  knocking  things  off  the  shelf  and 
breaking  them.  We  find  a  further  gain  in  doing 
away  with  doors  and  protecting  the  articles  from 
dust  by  keeping  them  in  carefully  labeled  glass  or 
tin  containers. 

Finally,  by  the  open-shelf  system,  we  can  have 
just  the  amount  of  shelf-room  we  require,  no  more 
and  rib  less.  And  we  can  put  the  shelves  where  they 
are  needed.  This  is  the  essential  advantage  of  the 
open-shelf  scheme,  and  is  quite  impossible  in  the 
case  of  closed-in  cupboards,  which  must  be  put  where 
there  is  room  for  them,  and  where  the  doors  will  not 
be  in  the  way. 

The  most  important  supply  shelves  in  the  kitchen 
are  those  directly  above  the  work  table.  The  ob- 


50  THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

ject  is  to  have  all  needed  supplies  easily  within  reach 
of  the  worker's  hand  as  she  sits  or  stands  at  the  work 
table.  Here  we  see  the  importance  of  so  locating 
doors  and  windows  as  to  avoid  breaking  up  the  wall 
space.  For  the  proper  relation  of  work  table  to 
shelves  is  vital  to  our  scheme  of  efficiency,  and 
should  be  worked  out  in  the  original  planning  of  the 
kitchen. 

Sometimes  it  is  possible,  instead  of  a  portable 
work-table  to  have  a  broad  work-shelf  built-in, 
across  the  entire  width  of  the  kitchen.  Such  a 
work-shelf  is  an  ideal  convenience.  The  dimensions 
should  be  22  inches  wide,  and  a  height  to  suit  the 
worker.  A  good  average  height  is  32  inches,  over 
all,  from  the  floor.  It  may  be  covered  with  zinc 
for  a  small  additional  cost.  ($1.75  for  the  zinc, 
about  six  feet  long.) 

For  the  supply  shelves  the  following  dimensions 
will  be  found  convenient.  Have  the  lowest  one  6 
inches  wide  to  hold  supplies  kept  in  glass  fruit  jars 
or  tutti-frutti  jars.  This  shelf  should  be  1^/2 
inches  above  the  work  table,  or  47}^  inches  above 
the  floor.  Two  four-inch  wide  shelves  may  be 
placed  above  this,  making  them  7^  inches  apart. 
In  some  cases  it  is  possible  to  have  the  shelves  ex- 
tend around  one  or  both  ends  of  the  work  table,  as 
well  as  across  the  width  of  it. 

The  space  under  the  work-table  or  work-shelf 
may  be  utilized  partly  for  drawers,  and  partly  for 
broad  shelves  to  hold  some  of  the  bulkier  parts  of 


BUILT-IN  CONVENIENCES  51 

the  kitchen  equipment.  The  drawers  may  be  used, 
one  for  cutlery,  the  other  for  kitchen  towels.  Ad- 
ditional space,  when  there  is  plenty,  as  in  the  case 
of  a  long1,  built-in  work-shelf,  may  be  closed 
in  and  converted  into  flour  bins  and  additional 
drawers.  This  gives  immense  storage  capacity  to 
even  a  little  kitchenette  7  feet  by  n.  The  shelves 
above  such  a  work-table  will  hold  the  full  list  of 
groceries  enumerated  on  pages  209  and  210,  which 
represents  the  normal  and  well-chosen  supply  that  a 
family  of  five  needs  to  carry  in  stock.  The  draw- 
ers below,  if  adapted  in  size  to  the  requirements 
of  the  rest  of  the  kitchen  will  make  a  butler's  pan- 
try unnecessary. 

PLACES  FOR  KITCHEN  UTENSILS 
The  open-shelf  system  has  the  same  advantages 
for  storing  the  kitchen  utensils  as  it  has  for  the 
storage  of  groceries.  It  enables  us  to  keep  the 
equipment  within  easy  reach  of  the  place  where 
it  is  to  be  used.  Shelves  above  the  sink  provide  a 
convenient  place  for  pitchers,  measuring  cups,  cof- 
fee and  tea  outfits,  egg  beater  and  strainers;  also 
for  the  sink  solutions  used  in  cleaning.  Stew  pans 
and  various  small  utensils  may  be  suspended  by 
means  of  cup-hooks  from  the  wall  back  of  the  sink, 
from  the  edge  of  the  shelf,  or  under  the  shelf. 

The  best  width  for  the  shelf  to  hold  sink  solu- 
tions is  4  inches.  A  good  height  is  56  inches  from 
the  floor:  The  shelf  for  pitchers  should  be  6  inches 
wide. 


52  THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

For  bread  and  cake  mixers  and  other  equipment 
of  an  awkward  size  special  shelves  must  be  provided 
wherever  there  is  space  enough,  or  where  nooks  and 
corners  of  the  room  can  be  utilized  to  advantage. 
These  should  be  the  proper  size  to  hold  the  equip- 
ment which  is  designed  to  rest  on  them.  They 
should  not  be  lower  than  the  knee  or  inconveniently 
high,  as  we  must  avoid  the  awkward  motions  of 
bending  over  and  reaching  up. 

Some  housekeepers  like  to  keep  nearly  all  the 
equipment  on  shelves,  while  others  prefer  to  hang 
everything  from  the  wall  that  can  be  hung,  leav- 
ing the  shelf -room  for  supplies  and  equipment  with- 
out handles.  The  latter  is  really  the  best  arrange- 
ment for  most  kitchens,  although  very  convenient 
kitchenettes  are  planned  in  the  former  way.  (See 
illustration  facing  page  94.) 

In  old  kitchens  where  ample  closet  room  has  been 
provided  for  groceries  and  supplies,  it  is  still  con- 
venient to  have  at  least  two  shelves  put  up  in  the 
kitchen;  one  6  inches  wide  above  the  sink,  and  one 
4  inches  wide  above  the  work  table.  This  will  pro- 
vide a  place  for  the  small  supplies  most  constantly 
used  in  mixing  and  baking. 

The  closet  will  then  have  to  be  studied  most  care- 
fully, and  its  wall  space  arranged  to  the  best  ad- 
vantage. By  experiment  we  found  that  4  feet 
square  was  a  most  convenient  size  for  a  provision 
closet.  In  a  closet  of  this  size  one  could  stand  in 
the  center  and  reach  without  stretching  everything 


BUILT-IN  CONVENIENCES  53 

that  was  at  the  end  or  sides.  The  top  shelf  should 
be  5  feet  from  the  floor  and  6  inches  wide,  and 
should  extend  around  all  three  sides.  Below  this 
on  the  right  hand  side  should  be  three  shelves,  the 
lowest  14  inches  from  the  floor  and  12  inches  wide, 
to  hold  the  week's  supply  of  potatoes,  apples,  etc. 
This  shelf  will  need  at  least  18  inches  "  head-room," 
so  that  a  peach  basket  containing  vegetables  may 
stand  on  it.  The  other  two  shelves  should  be  6 
inches  wide  and  about  one  foot  apart. 

At  the  end  of  such  a  closet  it  is  convenient  to 
have  a  small  table  with  an  under  shelf  and  a  drawer. 
Just  back  of  the  table  should  be  three  shelves  against 
the  wall,  the  lowest  12  inches  wide  to  hold  the 
larger  kitchen  utensils ;  the  other  two,  each  6  inches 
wide.  Most  of  the  wall  space  on  the  left  hand  side 
of  the  closet  is  left  free  for  hooks.  On  these  may 
be  hung  the  griddle,  muffin  tins,  meat  grinder, 
chopping  bowl,  etc.,  things  not  in  constant  use,  and 
which,  therefore,  need  not  take  up  valuable  kitchen 
wall  space. 

The  best  hooks  to  use  for  suspending  articles  from 
the  wall,  we  found  to  be  the  square  cup-hooks  with 
shank  an  inch  long.  The  three-quarter  inch  round 
cub-hooks  are  the  best  for  the  smaller  articles. 

COLD  STORAGE  FACILITIES 

Very  many  housekeepers  do  not  realize  that  they 
could  get  along  without  ice  for  eight  or  nine  months 
of  the  year  if  they  had  a  good  cold  closet,  built  into 


54  THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

an  outer  wall  of  the  kitchen,  and  properly  ventilated. 
(See  Fig.  4.)  If  the  house  is  a  new  one  the  cold 
closet  should  be  provided  for  in  the  original  plan  of 
the  house.  Convenient  dimensions  are  the  follow- 


FIG.  4. —  Sketch  of  cold  closet.     Dimensions :  2  feet  wide,  2 
feet  iol/2  inches  high,  19  inches  deep. 

ing :  Let  the  closet  be  24  inches  wide,  34>4  inches 
high  and  19  inches  deep.  Fit  it  up  with  three 
shelves  the  full  depth  of  the  closet.  Let  the  first 
shelf  be  ii  inches  above  the  closet  floor;  the  next 
7%  inches  above  that;  and  the  third  7J4  inches 
above  the  second.  The  cold  closet  is  really  a  box  set 
against  the  outer  wall  of  the  kitchen,  and  with  an 
opening  into  the  kitchen  exactly  like  a  window 
casing.  It  extends  through  and  a  little  beyond  the 
outer  wall,  and  has  a  sloping  top  to  shed  the  rain. 
A  door  is  made  to  fit  the  opening  into  the  kitchen. 


BUILT-IN  CONVENIENCES  55 

Holes  for  ventilation  are  bored  through  the  lower 
shelves  and  at  the  top  of  the  outside  wall,  and  these 
are  protected  by  screen  cloth.  The  closet  may  have 
double  walls,  insulated  as  a  home-made  ice  chest  is ; 
but  it  is  usually  a  simple  box  with  wooden  walls. 

This  size  will  hold  everything  necessary  for  a 
family  of  five;  but  a  slightly  larger  closet  would 
be  more  convenient.  An  ideal  size  is  4  feet  wide, 
5  feet  6  inches  high,  and  22  inches  deep.  This  will 
provide  space  for  four  shelves  placed  a  foot  apart. 
The  two  upper  shelves  should  be  the  full  depth  of 
the  closet,  and  the  lower  two,  half  the  depth. 

The  best  location  for  such  a  closet  is  in  the  kitchen 
shed  or  vestibule.  It  ought  to  have  two  doors  open- 
ing toward  the  center,  or  it  may  be  covered  by  a 
window  shade.  The  north  exposure  is  the  coolest 
location. 

In  rented  houses  a  perfectly  satisfactory  cold 
closet  may  be  made  by  taking  out  a  window  sash 
(if  the  window  is  not  needed  for  light),  and  making 
the  box  extension  on  the  outside  a  little  larger  than 
the  opening.  Or  simply  the  lower  half  of  the  win- 
dow may  be  thus  utilized.  The  sash  is  then  left  in 
place,  and  raising  the  window  gives  access  to  the 
closet.  By  this  arrangement  the  light  from  the 
upper  half  of  the  window  is  still  available. 

THE  BEST  COLD  CLOSET  OF  ALL 

There  is  no  reason  why  every  country  house 
should  not  have  the  most  perfect  of  all  cold  storage 


56  THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

rooms  in  the  cellar  underneath  the  kitchen,  and  con- 
nected with  the  kitchen  by  means  of  a  dumb-waiter 
located  in  an  air  shaft.  The  dumb-waiter  could  have 
two  or  three  shelves  to  hold  the  small  supplies  that 
are  usually  kept  in  the  refrigerator;  and  one  wide, 
deep  shelf  to  use  in  sending  up  apples,  potatoes  and 
winter  vegetables,  that  could  be  purchased  in  quan- 
tity. Such  a  cellar  should  be  made  by  excavating 
below  the  main  cellar.  Its  walls  and  sides  should 
be  concreted.  Good  ventilation  should  be  insured 
by  a  properly  constructed  air  shaft.  It  would  be 
better  to  depend  on  artificial  light,  as  it  will  be  a 
better  storage  place  if  kept  dark. 

With  such  a  cold  storage  place  every  family  could 
buy  supplies  in  quantity,  could  put  down  eggs  for 
winter  use,  could  keep  extra  vegetables  grown  in 
the  home  garden;  and  could  be  independent  of  the 
ice-man  the  year  round.  Such  a  convenience  would 
tend  to  restore  to  the  home  some  of  its  lost  inde- 
pendence. Of  course  it  would  require  work  and 
vigilance  to  take  care  of  the  supplies,  and  above  all 
to  care  for  a  garden.  But  it  is  work  that  the  aver- 
age man,  spending  too  many  hours  over  a  desk, 
really  needs  to  keep  him  in  health.  The  care  of 
practical  home  interests  is  a  great  restorative  force, 
and  builds  up  the  sense  of  independence  which 
modern  business  conditions  seem  destined  entirely 
to  destroy. 


BUILT-IN  CONVENIENCES  57 

KEEPING  FOOD  WARM 

This  problem  is  so  important  to  the  efficiency  of 
the  kitchen  that  it  will  be  dealt  with  in  another 
chapter.  It  must  be  thought  out  when  the  heating 
system  is  planned,  and  can  be  very  easily  solved  if 
provision  is  made  for  it  at  the  time  of  building  the 
house,  or  in  connection  with  installing  the  heating 
system. 

CARE  OF  INCOMING  SUPPLIES 

Hours  of  needless  interruption  can  be  saved  by 
providing  a  safe  and  still,  a  compact  wooden  closet, 
fastened  to  the  wall  of  the  back  entrance  porch.  It 
should  have  a  screen  door  equipped  with  a  spring 
catch,  and  two  shelves  about  10  inches  wide. 
The  lower  of  these  shelves  should  be  10  inches 
above  the  floor  o<f  the  closet,  since  a  milk  bottle  is 
91/2  inches  high.  The  second  may  be  8  inches 
above  that,  and  8  inches  from  the  top  of  the  closet.. 

In  cases  where  there  is  a  very  small  entrance 
porch,  or  none  at  all,  a  window-seat  box  with  hinged 
top  may  be  placed  in  the  kitchen  porch  to  answer 
the  same  purpose.  A  zinc  lining  will  protect  either 
closet  or  box  from  insects. 

We  have  made  it  a  policy  for  nine  years  to  cut 
out  the  useless  waste  of  time  due  to  continual  in- 
terruption by  the  delivery-man.  We  have  tried  the 
plan  in  city  homes  as  well  as  in  the  country,  and 
have  found  it  to  work  admirably.  We  have  it  un- 
derstood when  we  give  orders  that  if  anything  sent 
to  us  is  not  satisfactory,  we  will  return  it.  We 


58  THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

check  up  the  slips  carefully  before  we  put  the  food 
away,  and  telephone  at  once  if  anything  is  wrong  so 
that  the  trouble  may  be  rectified.  We  make  a  note 
on  the  slip  and  keep  it  on  our  desk  until  the  matter 
has  been  adjusted.  We  pay  for  honest,  efficient 
service,  and  demand  it.  On  our  side  we  are  con- 
siderate about  not  requiring  unnecessary  deliveries, 
and  we  pay  our  bills  promptly.  We  have  never  met 
with  any  loss  from  this  policy.  It  takes  the  mer- 
chant only  two  or  three  lessons  to  learn  that  if  or- 
ders are  wrong  they  will  have  to  be  called  for  and 
made  right.  And  mistress  and  maid  alike  are  saved 
hours  of  unnecessary  interruption. 

CLOSET  FOR  CLEANING  OUTFIT 

The  kitchen  cleaning  outfit  usually  includes  all  the 
implements,  cloths  and  materials  for  cleaning  the 
lower  floor  of  the  house,  and  the  size  of  the  outfit 
depends  on  the  general  style  of  the  house,  how  much 
woodwork  or  brass  there  is,  and  other  details  of 
finish.  In  large  houses  there  should  be  a  closet  on 
every  floor  large  enough  to  hold  everything  that  is 
needed  to  do  this  work  to  best  advantage.  (See 

Fig.  5.) 

The  chemicals  used  for  cleaning  should  be  kept 
in  glass  jars,  carefully  labeled.  The  cloths  may  be 
folded  up  in  a  tin  box,  or  hung  from  hooks  by  means 
of  loops.  The  mops,  brooms,  brushes,  etc.,  should 
have  screw-eyes  fastened  to  the  ends  and  should 
always  be  hung  up  when  not  in  use.  There  should 


BUILT-IN  CONVENIENCES 


59 


be  a  reserve  supply  of  cleaning  cloths  kept  in  a 
drawer  near  the  closet,  or  in  a  box  on  the  shelf. 
Old  stew-pans,  tins,  etc.,  needed  for  mixing  the 


FIG.  5. —  Sketch  of  convenient  closet  for  cleaning  outfit.  Di- 
mensions :  3  to  4  feet  wide,  6  feet  6  inches  high,  12  to  18 
inches  deep.  Shelf  12  inc'hes  wide  and  10  inches  from  top 
of  closet. 

cleaning  preparations,  should  be  kept  near  at  hand 
on  a  shelf. 

For  a  full  list  of  desirable  equipment  for  cleaning 
see  page  180,  Chapter  XIII  on  Daily  care  of  the 
Kitchen. 

In  order  to  hang  up  the  long-handled  mops  and 
allow  for  a  shelf  above,  the  closet  should  be  6  feet 
6  inches  high.  It  may  be  12' to  18  inches  deep,  and 
3  to  4  feet  wide.  It  will  be  more  convenient  to 
have  two  doors  opening  in  the  middle;  but  one 
will  be  less  expensive,  and  also  sufficient  if  the  closet 


60  THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

is  not  more  than  three  feet  wide.  The  cleat  from 
which  to  hang  the  long-handled  mops  should  be  5 
feet  3  inches  from  the  floor.  The  closet  floor  should 
be  2  inches  above  the  floor  of  the  room,  and  should 
be  covered  with  oilcloth,  so  it  will  be  easy  to  keep 
clean.  The  shelf  should  be  12  inches  wide  and  10 
inches  from  the  top  of  the  closet.  Such  a  closet  will 
be  found  a  wonderful  comfort  in  any  home.  It 
can  very  easily  and  economically  be  made  by  a  car- 
penter. Or  a  metamorphosed  old  wardrobe  will 
answer  the  purpose  very  well. 

Where  it  is  not  possible  to  have  a  special 
closet  for  the  cleaning  things,  they  may  be  cared  for 
as  follows:  For  the  brooms,  mops,  etc.,  have  a 
cleat  three  inches  wide  nailed  to  the  wall  5  feet  5 
inches  above  the  floor.  Hooks  are  screwed  into  this 
cleat,  and  here  the  long-handled  mops  and  brooms 
may  be  hung.  The  wall  back  of  the  landing  to  the 
cellar  may  be  fitted  up  in  this  way.  A  special  cleat 
3  feet  high  and  more  conveniently  located,  should  be 
provided  for  the  dust  pan  and  brush.  As  these  im- 
plements are  in  constant  use,  they  ought  to  be  readily 
at  hand.  The  rest  of  the  cleaning  outfit  may  be 
kept  in  drawers  or  on  a  shelf  in  another  closet. 
They  ought  to  be  kept  out  of  the  way  of  the  chil- 
dren, as  none  of  these  chemicals  can  be  recom- 
mended as  desirable  playthings  for  the  little  people. 

The  importance  of  having  a  generous  supply  of 
fresh  cleaning  cloths  cannot  be  too  strongly  empha- 
sized. More  time  is  lost  "  hunting  up  cloths  "  than 


BUILT-IN  CONVENIENCES  61 

any  housekeeper  realizes.  By  fitting  out  generously 
with  cleaning  cloths  and  then  insisting  on  having  the 
ones  in  use  kept  clean,  this  need  can  be  met  with 
very  little  expense,  and  a  great  saving  of  time. 

CLOSET  FOR  WRAPS  AT  BACK  ENTRANCE 

Every  family  needs  a  closet  for  every-day  wraps ; 
but  where  there  are  little  children  this  need  is  imper- 
ative. If  a  closet  near  the  rear  entrance  is  fitted  up 
especially  for  the  children,  with  a  coat-bar  and  hooks 
the  right  height  for  them,  they  can  soon  be  taught 
to  place  their  coats  on  coat-bars,  hang  up  their  hats 
and  place  their  rubbers  on  the  special  shelf  made  for 
overshoes  near  the  bottom  of  the  closet.  All  track- 
ing through  the  house  with  wet  and  dirty  clothes  in 
search  of  Mama,  may  then  be  saved.  What  this 
means  in  economy  of  time  and  strength  cannot  be 
estimated  where  the  cleaning-up  falls  on  a  maid. 
Where  the  mother  herself  does  the  work  she  soon 
finds  what  a  large  item  it  amounts  to.  Children 
cannot  be  taught  to  hang  up  their  things  unless  given 
suitable  conveniences  for  this.  For  children  under 
twelve  the  hooks  should  be  about  three  feet  from  the 
floor. 

The  space  above  the  hooks  and  coat-bar  may  be 
reserved  for  shelves.  The  lowest  of  these  may  be 
used  for  the  children's  hats.  The  others  for  any 
household  need  not  otherwise  met.  Among  these 
may  be  mentioned  the  small  outfit  of  tools  that  every 
housekeeper  should  have, 


62  THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

The  coat  closet  may  be  6  feet  4^  inches  high; 
1 8  inches  deep  and  3  feet  2^  inches  wide.  The 
floor  may  be  !*/>  inches  above  the  main  floor,  and 
should  be  covered  with  oil-cloth.  The  children's 
coat-bar,  as  has  been  said,  should  be  3  feet  from 
the  floor.  The  space  above  the  coat-bar  may  be 
conveniently  divided  into  three  shelves  placed  9^2 
inches  apart.  The  lower  shelf,  for  hats,  should 
be  12  inches  wide;  and  the  two  upper  ones  8  inches 
wide. 

If  it  is  impossible  to  have  more  than  one  closet 
for  wraps,  it  ought  to  be  made  four  feet  wide, 
with  room  at  the  side  to  hang  up  the  every-day 
wraps  of  the  grown-ups.  Or  a  cleat  may  be 
fastened  to  the  wall  in  the  back  entrance  hall  to 
answer  this  need.  But  whether  or  not  the  con- 
venience of  the  grown-ups  can  be  considered  in  this 
particular,  it  is  a  necessity,  wherever  there  are  chil- 
dren, to  have  a  special  closet  for  their  use  with 
hooks  and  coat-bar  the  right  height. 

A  PLACE  FOR  THE  KITCHEN  FUELS 

Wherever  a  wood  or  coal  stove  is  in  use  in  the 
kitchen,  there  ought  to  be  a  place  near  the  stove 
for  a  small  reserve  of  fuel.  This  is  usually  pro- 
vided for  in  the  case  of  wood  stoves;  but  very 
often  no  provision  is  made  for  lightening  the  labor 
of  carrying  coal.  If  it  is  not  desirable  to  have  a 
coal  box,  there  should  be  two  separate  coal  hods, 
so  that  one  may  always  be  in  reserve,  making  it  un- 


BUILT-IN  CONVENIENCES  63 

necessary  to  go  to  the  coal  bin  more  than  once  a 
clay. 

Very  ingenious  devices  are  found  in  country 
homes  for  so  locating  the  coal  bin  that  the  supply  is 
near  at  hand.  In  some  cases  an  inexpensive  dumb- 
waiter has  been  installed,  on  which  coal  may  be 
brought  up  from  the  cellar. 

With  the  widespread  use  of  kerosene  and  alcohol 
as  fuels,  it  is  important  to  suggest  here  the  advan- 
tage of  having  a  wide  shelf,  zinc-covered,  on  which 
the  large  supply-can  may  rest.  The  best  cans  have 
funnel  arrangements  for  use  when  filling  the  small 
can.  The  supply-can  must  be  kept  in  a  safe  place. 
The  shelf  should  be  about  12  inches  wide  and  2  feet 
from  the  floor.  Kerosene  cans  and  alcohol  cans 
should  never  be  kept  on  the  same  shelf.  It  is  very 
easy  to  pick  up  the  wrong  can  and  fill  the  kerosene 
lamp  with  alcohol,  or  the  alcohol  stove  with  kero- 
sene. The  results,  it  is  needless  to  state,  are  dis- 
couraging, 


HEATING   THE   KITCHEN    AND    KEEPING   DISHES 
WARM 

IN  very  many  cases  the  first  step  toward  cre- 
ating an  efficient  kitchen  is  banishing  the  coal 
stove.  The  choice  of  fuels  will  be  dealt 
with  in  a  subsequent  chapter.  But  just  here  we 
must  consider  certain  needs  which  immediately 
arise  when  the  coal  stove  is  discarded,  and  which 
are  closely  related  to  the  structural  problems  of 
building  or  remodeling  the  work-room.  These 
needs  are  heating  the  kitchen  and  keeping  the  food 
warm  after  it  is  cooked,  until  it  is  ready  to  be 
served. 

In  the  days  when  fuel  was  not  the  expensive  item 
that  it  is  to-day,  one  of  the  great  advantages  of 
the  wood  or  coal  range  was  that  it  heated  the 
kitchen  besides  doing  the  cooking.  In  small  houses 
it  also  did  practically  all  the  heating  of  the  house, 
except  for  four  or  five  months  of  intensely  cold 
weather.  The  pipe  from  the  kitchen  stove  went 
up  through  the  ceiling  and  heated  the  chamber 
above.  The  door  from  the  kitchen  to  the  dining- 
room  was  left  open,  so  that  the  heat  might  pass 
through  and  make  the  latter  room  comfortable.  A 
fireplace,  in  addition,  in  two  or  three  rooms,  or  a 


HEATING  THE  KITCHEN  65 

coal  stove  or  two,  kept  the  house  at  a  fair  tempera- 
ture even  in  very  cold  weather.  Under  such  con- 
ditions a  wood  stove  or  coal  range  in  the  kitchen 
is  still  to  be  recommended.  But  where  the  rest  of 
the  house  is  equipped  with  a  good  heating  system 
there  is  no  reason  why  the  kitchen  should  not  be 
included  in  the  general  heating  plan.  This  elimi- 
nates the  necessity  of  cooking  by  coal  in  hot 
weather,  when  the  heat  of  a  coal  range  is  an  added 
affliction  to  the  cook;  it  takes  from  the  kitchen  all 
the  burden  of  dust  and  ashes ;  and  it  adds  very  lit- 
tle in  the  way  of  extra  fuel  to  the  expense  of  run- 
ning the  furnace. 

All  persons  who  keep  domestic  help  know  that 
the  coal  range  is  very  waste  fully  run.  They  also 
know  that  it  requires  the  best  grade  of  intelligence 
to  run  a  coal  range  economically  and  get  results. 
As  very  few  mistresses  understand  the  matter  them- 
selves, and  the  few  that  do  cannot  get  maids  who 
are  willing  to  be  trained  in  matters  of  economy, 
the  result  is  that  the  coal  stove  is  no  longer  an  econ- 
omy and  can  only  hold  its  place  on  the  ground  that 
it  does  its  work  more  satisfactorily  than  any  other 
fuel.  This  is  no  longer  found  to  be  the  case.  Gas 
stoves,  kerosene  stoves  and  alcohol  stoves  are 
all  found  to  be  easier  to  take  care  of  and  less  ex- 
pensive to  operate  than  the  coal  range  except  in 
the  case  of  very  large  families  or  where  a  large 
amount  of  baking  is  done. 

The  necessity  thus  arises  for  heating  the  kitchen 


66  THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

independently  of  the  cook  stove.  To  extend  the 
furnace  heat  to  the  kitchen  and  provide  a  hot-air 
register  or  radiator  costs  from  $15  to  $25.  This 
is  a  very  simple  matter  in  the  case  of  a  new  house. 
But  in  houses  where  the  furnace  is  already  installed 
there  is  not  always  enough  heating  capacity  to  heat 
an  extra  room.  In  the  West  very  few  gas  kitch- 
ens are  heated  at  all.  And,  indeed,  this  is  far  from 
being  a  serious  hardship  in  a  house  which  is  other- 
wise well  heated.  The  kitchen  is  no  longer  re- 
garded as  a  sitting-room  for  the  family  or  the  maid. 
One  is  always  briskly  working.  In  fact,  unless 
the  kitchen  is  in  a  cold  location  or  the  furnace  does 
not  adequately  heat  the  rest  of  the  house,  it  is 
often  safe  to  ignore  this  problem.  In  a  case  where 
the  kitchen  must  be  heated  and  the  furnace  will  not 
do  it,  the  coal  range  should  always  be  retained. 
A  supplementary  gas,  alcohol  or  kerosene  stove 
may  be  used  for  emergencies  and  summer  cook- 
ing. 

There  are  a  number  of  good  portable  heaters  on 
the  market  burning  kerosene  or  gas,  and  these  are 
useful  for  supplementing  the  furnace  heat  in  any 
room.  But  as  they  quickly  deprive  the  air  of  oxy- 
gen, a  room  in  which  they  are  used  should  be  well 
aired  from  time  to  time. 

PROVISION  FOR  KEEPING  FOOD  AND  DISHES 
WARM 

Of  equal  importance  to  the  heating  of  the  kitchen 
is  the  problem  of  keeping  food  warm  and  warming 


HEATING  THE  KITCHEN  67 

dishes  that  are  to  be  used  on  the  table.  This  is  a 
very  simple  matter  in  a  coal  kitchen.  The  best 
coal  ranges  are  equipped  with  good  warming 
shelves.  Where  the  warming  shelves  are  not  pro- 
vided, as  in  the  case  of  a  cheaper  range,  it  is  pos- 
sible to  have  a  tinsmith  make  a  serviceable  sub- 
stitute of  Japanned  iron,  which  can  be  placed  above 
the  stove  at  a  convenient  height.  These  iron 
shelves  should  have  round  holes  cut  through  for 
ventilation,  and  may  be  supported  against  the  wall 
by  means  of  brackets. 

In  a  gas  kitchen  this  matter  of  warming-shelves 
presents  much  greater  difficulty  and  requires  more 
thought.  With  the  gas  stove  we  have  no  longer 
a  constant  radiation  of  warm  air  which  can  be  util- 
ized not  only  for  the  purposes  named  above,  but 
for  raising  bread  and  drying  the  kitchen-ware. 
These  needs  must  now  be  provided  for  in  some 
other  way. 

The  larger  gas  ranges  have  a  warming  oven 
above  the  elevated  baking  oven,  which  is  kept  hot 
by  the  oven  burner  when  the  latter  is  in  use.  At 
other  times  the  warming  oven  may  be  heated  by 
lighting  the  pilot  burner.  In  gas  ranges  having 
two  baking  ovens,  one  is  always  available  for  a 
warming  oven  by  using  the  pilot  burner.  Even  with 
these  facilities  it  is  a  great  advantage  to  have  some 
kind  of  supplementary  warming  appliance.  In 
kitchens  heated  by  steam  or  hot  water  this  is  easily 
managed  by  purchasing  flat-topped  grills  to  fit  over 


68  THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

the  kitchen  radiator.  These  grills  come  in  differ- 
ent sizes  and  may  be  painted  the  color  of  the  radi- 
ator. With  these  the  heat  of  the  radiator  is  always 
available  to  dry  kitchen  towels,  pots  and  pans  and 


FIG.  6.—  Pantry  radiators  like  the  above  are  fairly  reasonable 
in  price  and  valuable  for  keeping  dishes  warm. 

the  like.  Both  dining-room  and  kitchen  radiators 
may  be  thus  equipped.  The  grills  cost  from  $1.25 
to  $1.50,  according  to  size.  The  dining-room  radi- 
ator grill  is  very  convenient  'for  warming  dishes 
that  do  not  need  to  go  to  the  kitchen  at  all. 

In  homes  where  it  is  possible  to  have  special 
warming  facilities  in  the  pantry  the  closet  where 
the  table  service  is  kept  may  be  warmed  by  having 
heating  coils  pass  under  the  shelves.  In  other 
cases  special  pantry  radiators  (Fig.  6)  are  manu- 
factured which  have  two  shelves  made  of  coils 
heated  from  the  furnace. 

In  even  the  simplest  home,  this  need  may  be  met 


HEATING  THE  KITCHEN  69 

by  having  a  shelf  built  back  of  the  three-burner 
Junior  gas  stove  in  the  kitchen.  In  such  a  case  the 
gas  stove  should  be  set  out  a  little  from  the  wall. 
The  shelf  may  be  made  the  same  height  and  cov- 
ered with  zinc.  A  portable  oven  may  be  heated 
on  a  regular  gas  burner  and  then  set  back  on  this 
shelf  to  serve  as  a  warming  closet  for  the  dishes. 
In  such  a  case  it  is  well  to  have  in  addition  a  two  or 
four  shelf  steamer  in  which  food  may  be  placed  in 
the  serving  dishes  and  kept  hot  until  it  is  ready  to 
be  put  on  the  table. 


VI 
HOT  WATER  HEATING  SYSTEMS 

AN  abundant  supply  of  hot  water  for  the 
kitchen  and  bathroom  can  be  obtained  at 
very  moderate  maintenance  cost  if  one 
knows  just  the  best  equipment  to  select.  Enough 
money  is  spent  in  equipping  and  running  the  aver- 
age home  to  insure  this  comfort.  But,  strangely 
enough,  it  is  the  exception  and  not  the  rule  to  find 
the  hot  water  situation  really  successfully  handled. 
Some  systems  give  good  results  when  properly 
installed,  but  prove  very  inadequate  when  the  in- 
stallation is  faulty.  Of  such  are  the  various  meth- 
ods of  "  heating  by  waste  heat."  Another  prolific 
cause  of  disappointment  is  the  installation  of  ap- 
paratus which  turns  out  to  be  very  expensive  to 
maintain.  This  type  gives  good  results,  but  can- 
not be  used  freely  because  of  the  mammoth  size  of 
the  monthly  bills  resulting  from  anything  like  a 
liberal  use  of  hot  water.  This  condition  of  affairs 
is  pitiable  when  we  realize  that  the  amount  of 
money  actually  spent,  if  wisely  spent,  would  have 
secured  abundance!  If  one  must  always  be  wor- 
rying about  hot  water,  why  not  go  back  to  the  old- 
fashioned  range,  with  the  water-box  in  the  end? 

70 


HOT  WATER  HEATING  SYSTEMS      71 

This  type  gives  very  good  service  and  enough  hot 
water  for  the  needs  of  careful  people.  You  never 
expect  to  have  an  abundant  supply  of  hot  water 
for  kitchen  or  bathroom  unless  you  exercise  a  cer- 
tain amount  of  forethought.  Consequently  you 
plan  ahead,  whereas,  with  a  hot-water  system  that 
is  supposed  to  work  but  does  not,  you  are  contin- 
ually disappointed  and  are  grieved  to  find  the  same 
old  difficulty  arising  day  after  day.  It  requires 
great  moral  courage  to  consider  your  investment  a 
total  failure  and  have  it  taken  out.  But  if  you 
have  made  a  bad  selection  this  course  is  the  only 
satisfactory  one  in  the  end. 

HEATING  BY  "WASTE  HEAT" 

Two  systems  of  hot- water  heating  in  very  gen- 
eral use  are  based  on  utilizing  the  so-called  "  waste 
heat  "of  the  furnace  or  the  kitchen  range.  These 
are  satisfactory  under  favorable  conditions  and 
when  well  installed.  But  equipment  based  on  a 
better  principle  is  now  on  the  market,  and  ulti- 
mately will  replace  these  types.  As  few  house- 
keepers, however,  are  in  a  position  to  choose  new 
hot-water  heating  apparatus,  we  shalhfirst  consider 
the  problem  of  getting  good  results  from  the  sys- 
tems in  common  use. 

For  many  years  the  hot-water  supply  of  the  av- 
erage home  has  been  heated  by  means  of  coils 
placed  in  the  fire  box  of  the  kitchen  range,  or  by 
an  iron  water-back  furnished  with  the  range.  The 


72  THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

water-back  is  the  one  in  common  use.  The  suc- 
cess of  this  method  has  depended  on  the  size  and 
construction  of  the  range,  its  efficient  management, 
and  the  size  of  the  boiler  so  connected.  Where 
the  boiler  is  too  large  for  the  heating  capacity  of 
the  range,  a  supply  of  lukewarm  water  is  the  result. 
For  this  there  is  no  remedy  but  installing  a  smaller 
boiler  or  a  larger  range.  In  families  where  the 
range  must  be  run  economically,  the  amount  of  fuel 
necessary  for  cooking  alone  proves  insufficient  for 
giving  a  satisfactory  supply  of  hot  water.  In  at 
least  eighty  per  cent  of  our  homes  the  coal  range 
is  run  at  an  extravagant  waste  of  fuel,  as  far  as 
the  requirements  of  cooking  alone  are  concerned. 
This  is  getting  to  be  a  serious  matter,  now  that 
coal  is  growing  more  expensive  every  year.  The 
truth  is  that  the  water  is  not  warmed  by  waste  heat, 
but  by  wasted  heat  —  heat  that  need  not  be  wasted 
if  the  range  were  not  expected  to  heat  the  water 
in  addition  to  cooking  the  food.  Ranges  without 
water  backs  can  be  run  on  less  than  half  a  ton  of 
coal  a  month,  and  will  do  a  great  deal  of  cooking 
under  skilful  management.  One  experienced 
housekeeper  ^was  able  to  effect  this  result  using 
pea  coal  as  fuel.  It  could  not  be  said  that  she 
accomplished  this  result  by  stinting  her  family  (of 
five  people!),  as  she  was  the  champion  cook  of  the 
neighborhood.  Where  this  system  is  already  in- 
stalled, it  will  be  made  more  effective  and  econom- 
ical by  jacketing  the  boiler  (i.  e.,  covering  the 


HOT  WATER  HEATING  SYSTEMS     73 

boiler  with  some  thick  substance  to  prevent  radia- 
tion and  conserve  the  heat).  (See  Fig.  8.) 

Another  system  based  on  the  idea  of  conserving 
waste  heat  makes  use  of  the  furnace  to  heat  the 
water  supply  during  the  winter  months.  Heating 
coils  are  placed  in  the  fire-box  of  the  furnace,  and 
the  water  system  is  connected  with  these.  This 
system  is  used  extensively  in  private  homes,  and 
the  result  is  in  many  cases  very  satisfactory.  Here 
too,  however,  the  hot  water  heating  is  done  not  by 
"  waste  heat,"  but  by  wasted  heat ;  heat  that  would 
not  be  required  for  the  ordinary  purposes  of  the 
furnace.  Unfortunately  it  is  impossible  to  esti- 
mate just  how  much  the  hot  water  heating  system 
takes  away  from  the  efficiency  of  the  furnace,  or 
adds  to  the  operating  cost.  Heating  contractors 
tell  us  that  they  have  to  make  a  liberal  extra  allow- 
ance for  houses  where  heating  coils  are  to  be  used, 
as  there  is  no  way  of  judging  how  much  of  the  heat 
will  be  diverted  by  the  needs  of  the  water  heating 
system.  Many  heating  contractors  do  not  recom- 
mend this  system  on  that  account.  It  does  not 
work  at  all  where  cheaply  constructed  furnaces  are 
used.  Under  favorable  conditions  it  gives  very 
satisfactory  results. 

In  very  many  localities  lime  deposits  in  the  water 
settle  in  the  pipes  of  the  coil,  and  it  is  necessary 
to  take  them  out  at  intervals  and  have  them  cleansed 
or  replaced.  The  cost  is  about  the  same  in  either 
case,  so  it  is  usually  best  to  put  in  new  ones.  The 


74  THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

expense  is  between  six  and  ten  dollars,  and  may 
have  to  be  met  every  year  or  every  two  years,  ac- 
cording to  the  locality. 

INDEPENDENT   HOT   WATER    HEATING   SYSTEMS 

Families  who  really  want  to  apply  the  principles 
of  Scientific  Management  in  their  homes,  are  advised 
to  select  a  water  heating  system  that  is  independent 
of  both  the  range  and  the  furnace.  It  will  then  be 
possible  to  keep  accurate  records  of  fuel  expense. 
These  records  will  be  of  immense  value  to  the 
housekeeper  in  economically  managing  her  own 
household,  and  will  be  of  equal  value  to  other 
housekeepers.  When  it  is  realized  in  private 
homes  that  intelligent  study  of  the  operating  ex- 
pense will  result  in  more  comfortable  and  more 
economical  living,  we  shall  begin  to  develop  a  real 
science  of  house  management. 

One  of  the  simplest  and  most  efficient  methods 
of  heating  water  independently  of  the  range  and 
furnace  is  by  the  use  of  small  coal  stoves  especially 
constructed  for  the  purpose.  They  are  called 
"  Hot  Water  or  Laundry  Heaters,"  and  are  con- 
nected to  the  kitchen  range  boiler.  (See  Fig.  7.) 
They  are  made  in  different  sizes,  adapted  to  different 
boiler  capacities,  and  have  either  cast  iron  or  brass 
water  pots.  The  cast  iron  is  less  expensive  than  the 
brass  and  can  be  used  in  localities  where  the  water  is 
free  from  substances  that  act  on  iron.  This  sys- 
tem is  most  efficient  when  the  boiler  is  enclosed  in 


HOT  WATER  HEATING  SYSTEMS     75 

an  asbestos  jacket  to  prevent  radiation  and  conserve 
the  heat  of  the  water.  Canvas  covered  jackets 
lined  with  asbestos  are  now  on  the  market,  made 


FIG.  7. —  Small  laundry  heater  with  iron  or  brass  water  pot, 
connected  with  boiler  in  cellar. 

in  various  sizes  to  fit  different  boilers.  It  is  also 
advisable  to  have  the  fire  pot  of  the  heater  covered 
with  plastic  asbestos. 

In  bungalows  or  very  simple  country  homes  this 
little  heater  can  be  made  to  serve  a  double  use  by 
encasing  the  smoke-pipe  and  the  stove  and  deliv- 
ering the  warm  air  to  a  room  on  the  second  or  third 


THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 


floor.  The  house  at  Darien  which  served  as  the 
first  Experiment  Station,  had  a  bathroom  so  heated. 
The  lower  floor  only  was  heated  by  the  house  fur- 
nace, which  consequently  was 
operated  at  a  minimum  ex- 
pense of  time  and  fuel. 

This  type  of  hot- water  heater 
has  two  advantages  over  the 
other  types.  It  keeps  the  cellar 
free  from  all  dampness  in  the 
summer-time,  warming  the 
floors  above  it  at  the  same  time. 
It  also  acts  as  a  supplementary 
stove,  where  vegetables  with 
a  strong  odor  may  be  cooked. 
In  many  small  houses  where 
the  kitchen  is  not  well  venti- 
lated these  odors  pass  from  the 
kitchen  to  the  dining-room  and 
often  to  other  rooms,  so  it  is 
found  to  be  a  great  advantage 
to  have  all  cooking  of  this  kind 
done  in  the  basement. 
The  cost  of  the  system,  using  the  smallest  type 
of  laundry  heater  and  a  forty-gallon  galvanized 
iron  boiler,  is  about  twenty-eight  dollars,  including 
installation.  A  jacket  (see  Fig.  8)  will  cost  three 
dollars  and  a  half  more,  making  the  total  cost  thirty- 
one  dollars  and  a  half.  This  size  will  furnish  an 
abundant  supply  of  hot  water  for  a  family  of  five, 


FIG.  8. —  Canvas  jack- 
ets lined  with  asbes- 
tos are  now  on  the 
market  made  to  fit 
any  boiler. 


HOT  WATER  HEATING  SYSTEMS      77 

and  can  be  operated  at  an  average  cost  of  one  dollar 
and  a  half  per  month,  if  pea  coal  is  used  for  fuel. 
With  expert  management  in  small  families  the  cost 
need  not  exceed  seventy-five  cents  a  month.  This 
cost  also  covers  its  use  for  laundry  purposes.  This 
type  of  heater,  in  larger  sizes,  has  been  successfully 
installed  in  houses  having  several  bathrooms,  and 
has  given  good  results  in  apartment  houses. 

In  tests  by  Mr.  Charles  Barnard  at  the  Experi- 
ment Station,  the  following  record  was  made  show- 
ing the  operating  cost  of  the  small  heater  for  a 
family  of  two.  These  tests  also  showed  the  effi- 
ciency of  the  jacket  in  conserving  heat,  and  in 
maintaining  the  temperature  of  the  water  after  it 
had  been  heated. 

MR,  BARNARD'S  TEST  OF  HOT  WATER  HEATER 

After  a  few  preliminary  trials  to  ascertain  the  fuel 
capacity  of  the  heater,  the  following  records  were  made: 

First  day,  8.00  A.  M.  Fire  started.  Temperature  of 
water  in  the  boiler,  79  Fahr. ;  8.53  A.  M.,  fire  checked ;  9.30, 
temperature  of  water  90;  at  10.30,  temperature  106;  2 
p.  M.,  fire  out;  6:30  p.  M.,  temperature  of  water  90.  Coal 
burned,  7  pounds. 

Second  day,  9.15  A.  M.  Started  fire;  water  temperature 
82 ;  2.45  P.  M.,  good  fire  burning ;  temperature  of  water 
130.  4.30  P.M.,  fire  out;  water  temperature  130.  Coal 
burned,  7  pounds.  Other  days  gave  same  results. 

These  results  were  very  satisfactory.  A  great  deal 
of  hot  water  was  used  every  day  in  the  kitchen  and  more  or 
less  used  every  day  in  the  bath  room.  The  amount  of  coal 
burned  was  7  pounds  each  twenty- four  hours.  The  water 
during  the  day  was  hot  enough  for  all  purposes  and  often 
too  hot  to  touch.  The  fire  burned  on  an  average  six 
hours  out  of  twenty-four.  To  secure  still  greater  econ- 
omy of  heat  it  was  decided  to  conserve  the  heat  in  the 


78  THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

boiler  by  clothing  the  boiler  with  a  canvas  jacket  lined 
with  asbestos.  Such  a  jacket  was  drawn  over  the  boiler 
and  laced  together;  the  temperature  of  the  room  being 
76,  and  the  water  103. 

At  7  A.  M.  the  next  morning  the  fire  was  started  and  at 
7.30  the  fire  was  checked.  At  9  A.  M.  the  water  tempera- 
ture was  122;  at  10.30  A.M.,  136;  at  2.30  P.M.,  136;  at 
8.00  P.  M.,  122.  During  the  entire  day  the  room  tempera- 
ture remained  almost  stationary,  rising  only  two  degrees 
in  the  afternoon. 

The  next  morning  the  water  temperature  was  100, 
showing  a  loss  in  twelve  hours  with  no  fire,  of  only  22 
degrees.  This  conservation  of  heat  showed  the  efficiency 
of  the  jacket  on  the  boiler.  It  should  also  be  observed 
that  the  rise  in  the  temperature  during  the  previous  day 
was  greater  than  before  the  jacket  was  put  on,  the  rise 
between  7.30  and  10.30  being  37  degrees.  The  following 
day  was  very  warm.  With  all  the  windows  open  the  tem- 
perature of  the  room  rose  slowly  from  73  to  79.  Be- 
tween 8.00  A.  M.,  when  the  fire  was  started,  and  noon,  the 
temperature  of  the  water  rose  42  degrees,  and  at  9  P.  M. 
was  130,  the  fire  being  out. 

Next  morning  the  room  temperature  was  72  and  the 
water  108,  a  loss  of  heat  of  only  22  degrees  in  nine  hours. 
The  fire  was  started  at  10  A.  M.,  and  in  two  hours  the  tem- 
perature of  the  water  was  130.  At  4  P.  M.  the  fire  was 
out,  and  at  8  p.  M.  the  water  had  lost  only  4  degrees. 

Next  morning  no  fire,  and  at  8  A.  M.  the  water  in  the 
boiler  was  104,  showing  a  loss  of  heat  of  22  degrees  in 
12  hours.  At  noon  the  water  was  98,  showing  a  total 
loss  of  32  degrees  only  in  20  hours.  At  i.oo  p.  M.  the 
fire  was  started  and  at  8.00  P.  M.  had  gone  out,  the  water 
at  9.00  P.  M.  being  145.  At  7.00  A.  M.  next  day  the  tem- 
perature of  the  water  was  118,  and  at  i.oo  P.M.,  100. 
Other  trials  showed  that  if  the  fire  burned  six  hours,  the 
water  would  be  hot  enough  for  washing  the  dishes  twenty- 
four  hours  after  the  fire  had  gone  out. 

A  study  of  these  and  many  other  records  showed  that 
this  simple  and  comparatively  inexpensive  method  of  sup- 
plying hot  water  in  a  country  house  is  both  efficient  and 
economic.  On  one  day  the  amount  of  coal  burned  was 
five  pounds;  on  another  day,  eight  pounds,  the  average 
consumption  being  seven  pounds  a  day.  The  fire  burned 


HOT  WATER  HEATING  SYSTEMS     79 

about  six  hours  each  day;  for,  so  great  was  the  economy 
of  heat  gained  by  jacketing  the  boiler  that  heat  once 
stored  in  the  boiler  was  sufficient  for  dish  washing  for 
twenty-four  hours.  It  was  found  best  to  allow  the  fire 
to  die  out  after  once  heating  the  water  in  the  boiler,  be- 
cause a  continuous  fire  would  supply  more  hot  water  than 
could  be  used  in  the  ordinary  work  of  the  house.  .  .  . 

From  a  careful  estimate  of  the  amount  of  hot  water 
required  for  a  family  of  five,  it  is  believed  that  such  an 
installation  would  supply  all  the  hot  water  needed  at  an 
average  fuel  consumption  of  not  more  than  fifteen  pounds 
of  nut  coal  a  day. 

Such  a  system  as  this  will  give  an  ample  'supply 
of  hot  water  for  the  kitchen  and  one  bathroom. 
Where  a  larger  supply  is  needed,  it  may  be  secured 
by  using  a  larger  sized  boiler  and  heater. 

LOCATION  AND  CARE  OF  THE  HOT  WATER 
HEATER 

The  cellar  is,  in  most  houses,  the  most  conven- 
ient place  for  the  heater.  The  boiler  may  be  placed 
in  the  kitchen  in  horizontal  or  vertical  position, 
or  it  may  be  placed  in  the  cellar  near  the  heater. 
Under  ordinary  conditions  the  latter  location  is  rec- 
ommended because  it  saves  valuable  kitchen  space. 
When  the  boiler  must  be  placed  in  the  kitchen,  the 
jacket  may  be  painted  to  match  the  kitchen  walls. 

During  the  months  when  the  furnace  is  in  use 
it  will  require  but  very  little  extra  care  to  run  the 
hot-water  heater.  Several  very  efficient  makes  are 
on  the  market  which  are  exceedingly  simple  to  run, 
requiring  less  care  than  an  ordinary  kitchen  range, 
and  much  less  intelligence.  Pea  coal,  one  of  the 
cheapest  sizes  of  hard  coal,  gives  excellent  results. 


8o 


THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 


HOT  WATER  BY  MEANS  OF  GAS  HEATERS 

There  are  four  types  of  gas  heaters  on  the  mar- 
ket,   and    several    different    makes    of    each    type. 


FIG.  9. —  Represents  the  type  of  gas  heater  with  coils  outside 
the  boiler.  The  drawing  at  the  right  shows  a  view  of  the 
coils  when  door  of  drum  is  open.  The  figure  at  the  left 
shows  the  heater  as  it  looks  when  installed  in  any  kitchen. 

Whichever  type  is  selected,  it  is  very  important  to 
select  the  heater  which  is  best  of  its  kind. 

The  earlier  types  of.  gas  heater  are  operated  on 
the  principle  of  water  circulating  in  heating  coils 
placed  outside  the  boiler.  (See  Fig.  9.)  While 


HOT  WATER  HEATING  SYSTEMS     81 

they  satisfactorily  do  the  work  of  heating  the  water, 
there  is  great  loss  of  fuel  efficiency  due  to  radiation. 
Much  of  the  heat  of  the  water  in  the  coils  is  given  up 


FIG.  10. —  Illustrates  one  of  the  simplest  types  of  hot  water 
boiler  with  gas  heater  enclosed  within  boiler.  The  large 
gas  burner  is  located  in  the  lower  part  of  the  boiler.  It  is 
lighted  by  the  small  gas  burner.  Cold  water  enters  the 
boiler  through  the  cold  water  inlet.  The  water  to  be 
heated  enters  the  pipe  at  D,  passes  down  and  up  through 
the  centre  of  the  large  burner  into  disc  or  water  spreader 
marked  C.  Then  passes  up  through  the  flue  to  the  T  at  the 
top  of  the  boiler.  The  T  connects  in  one  direction  with 
the  boiler  itself  and  in  the  other  with  the  hot  water  faucets. 
The  hot  water  being  heated  within  the  boiler  instead  of 
outside  as  shown  in  Fig.  9,  is  protected  from  loss  of  heat 
by  radiation. 

to  warm  the  air  of  the  kitchen.     In  the  cheaper  heat- 
ers of  this  type  where  the  coils  are  of  iron  instead 


82  THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

of  brass,  the  loss  due  to  rapid  cooling  is  a  very  im- 
portant item.  This  difficulty  can  be  partially  over- 
come by  jacketing  the  boiler. 

COMBINATION  BOILER  AND  HEATER 

Special  kitchen  boilers  are  now  constructed  hav- 
ing the  burners  enclosed  in  the  lower  end  of  the 
boiler  itself.  (See  Fig.  10.)  The  heating  pipe 
passes  up  through  a  cylindrical  air  chamber  in  the 
center  of  the  boiler.  There  is  no  loss  of  heat  by 
radiation,  either  from  the  heating  compartment  or 
the  hot  water  pipe,  as  these  are  in  contact  with  the 
inner  walls  of  the  boiler,  and  not  with  the  outer  air. 
Within  a  few  moments  of  the  time  when  the  burner 
is  lighted  hot  water  is  ready  to  be  drawn  off. 

The  best  makes  are  of  heavy  galvanized  iron  or 
copper,  with  wooden  insulating  walls.  If  not  made 
with  an  insulating  covering  of  some  kind,  it  is  wise 
to  encase  the  outer  walls  of  the  boiler  with  an  as- 
bestos jacket.  These  are  made  to  fit  any  size  of 
boiler,  and  cost  $3.50.  Boilers  of  this  type  cost 
from  $30.00  to  $65.00,  according  to  size  and  make. 
They  may  be  connected  to  the  water  back  of  the 
ordinary  coal  range,  or  to  the  heating  coils  of  the 
furnace.  They  are  therefore  available  in  every 
home. 

GAS   HEATER   PLACED   UNDER   THE   KITCHEN 
BOILER 

Another  very  simple  and  efficient  gas  water 
heater  is  now  on  the  market  which  heats  the  water 


HOT  WATER  HEATING  SYSTEMS     83 

inexpensively  by  direct  contact  heat.  It  consists 
of  a  cast  iron  plate  with  sixteen  annular  air  spaces 
through  which  the  gas  is  delivered,  and  operates 
on  the  principle  of  the  Argand  burner  or  central 
draft  burner.  The  casting  may  be  clamped  under 
any  kitchen  boiler  and  is  very  inexpensive  to  con- 
nect. It  is  connected  with  the  main  gas  supply  by 
means  of  two  mixing  burners  so  that  the  gas  is 
mixed  with  the  proper  amount  of  air  and  pro- 
duces a  very  intense  flame.  The  sixteen  little  open- 
ings of  the  casting  are  supplied  with  this  gas.  As 
the  heat  is  most  intense  at  the  tip  of  the  flame  it  is 
important  to  have  the  casting  placed  at  the  right 
distance  under  the  boiler.  If  it  is  placed  too  close 
the  flame  is  spread,  and  what  is  known  as  a  "  float- 
ing flame  "  is  produced.  This  kind  of  flame  does 
not  give  the  same  degree  of  heat. 

This  little  appliance  costs  $6.50  and  can  be  con- 
nected to  any  boiler  for  from  $2.50  to  $4.00,  the 
price  depending  on  the  plumber  who  does  the  work. 
It  also  connects  with  a  thermostat  arrangement 
which  adds  to  the  expense.  The  manufacturer's 
tests  state  that  the  contents  of  a  thirty-six  gallon 
boiler  can  be  heated  in  summer  time  to  a  scalding 
point  at  a  cost  of  two  cents,  and  that  the  same  tem- 
perature may  be  maintained  for  ten  hours  for  six 
cents.  This  cost  may  be  further  reduced  by  jack- 
eting the  boiler  with  corrugated  asbestos  to  con- 
serve the  heat. 


84  THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

"  INSTANTANEOUS "  WATER  HEATERS 
Two  well  known  and  well  developed  systems  of 
"  instantaneous"  water  heating  are  on  the  market 
and  are  generally  recommended  by  architects  for 
large  and  small  houses  where  economy  is  not  a  seri- 
ously important  consideration.  The  "  instantane- 
ous "  heater,  which  is  somewhat  like  a  stove  in  ap- 
pearance, is  equipped  with  five  sections  of  copper 
heating  coils.  As  soon  as  a  hot  water  faucet  is 
turned  on,  an  automatic  valve  lights  the  powerful  gas 
burners  in  the  heater  and  the  hot  water  is  forced 
to  the  open  faucet.  When  the  faucet  is  turned  off 
the  valve  closes  and  the  flame  is  extinguished. 

These  heaters  are  equipped  with  temperature 
thermometers  which  automatically  maintain  a  safe 
and  desirable  water  temperature.  They  are  often 
installed  for  summer  in  houses  where  the  water  is 
heated  in  winter  by  coils  in  the  furnace.  These 
are  very  convenient  and  desirable,  but  must,  for  the 
present  at  least,  be  regarded  as  luxuries  within  the 
reach  of  only  prosperous  families.  They  are  ex- 
pensive in  operating  cost,  and  expensive  in  repairs. 
This,  added  to  the  first  cost  of  $85  to  $160,  not 
counting  installation,  makes  them  prohibitive  for 
families  having  an  income  of  less  than  $5,000. 

This  conclusion  has  not  been  arrived  at  from 
tests  at  the  Experiment  Station,  but  from  a  careful 
consideration  of  the  principles  of  construction  and 
of  the  facts  presented  by  housekeepers  who  have 
had  practical  experience  with  this  type  of  heater. 


HOT  WATER  HEATING  SYSTEMS     85 

As  regards  the  reliability  of  the  manufacturers 
and  the  matter  of  good  construction,  we  have  no 
hesitation  in  stating  that  these  systems  do  the  work 
they  are  said  to  do*.  The  facts  not  explained  by 
the  manufacturers  or  by  agents  are :  the  wasteful- 
ness of  the  principle  in  places  where  a  constant 
supply  of  hot  water  is  not  needed,  as  in  a  private 
home.  To  produce  quick  results  an  extravagant 
degree  of  heat  is  required  for  a  few  moments  only. 
Furthermore,  in  case  of  needed  repairs,  the  com- 
plexity of  construction  makes  it  an  expensive  mat- 
ter to  renew  the  parts. 

KEROSENE  WATER  HEATERS 
A  convenient  little  heater  made  on  the  principle 
of  the  blue-flame  kerosene  stove  is  now  on  the  mar- 
ket, and  does  very  satisfactory  work.  It  is  con- 
structed with  copper  coils  outside'  the  boiler.  As 
we  have  already  explained,  the  defect  of  this  sys- 
tem is  loss  of  heat  through  radiation.  By  jacket- 
ing the  boiler  the  heat  of  the  water  can  be  con- 
served. In  a  two-months'  test  at  the  author's  sum- 
mer home,  we  found  that  it  took  two  hours  to  heat 
a  forty-gallon  boiler,  and  that  the  cost,  with  ken> 
sene  at  fifteen  cents  a  gallon,  was  a  little  over  two 
cents  an  hour. 

When  it  comes  to  quoting  the  cost  of  any  plumb- 
ing fixtures  or  apparatus  and  giving  the  cost  of  in- 
stallation, only  approximate  figures  can  be  given. 
The  manufacturers  sell  only  to  their  agents  and 
allow  a  very  wide  margin  between  the  quoted  price 


86  THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

and  the  price  at  which  the  fixtures  may  actually  be 
sold.  Then  again  plumbers  have  to  supply  fittings 
and  time  that  vary  widely  according  to  the  location 
of  each  appliance.  So  it  is  always  necessary  to  get 
accurate  quotations  of  a  local  plumber  of  just 
what  it  will  cost  in  a  given  case.  It  is  a  help,  how- 
ever, to  have  a  general  idea  of  what  each  different 
system  of  hot  water  heating  will  cost  under  average 
conditions,  and  the  figures  given  here  have  been 
learned  from  actual  experience  and  checked  up  by 
figures  given  by  contractors  in  this  vicinity. 
Cost  of  equipment  where  coal  range  is  used  : 

Water-back  connection  to  kitchen  range  ........  $  5.00 

Heavy  galvanized  iron  boiler,  thirty  gallons  ......  10.00 

Cost  of  installation,  $5  to  $8  ;  usual  price  ........  5.00 

Jacket  for  boiler  ..............................  3.50 

$23.50 

Cost  of  laundry  stove  gas  heater  with  coils  out- 
side or  blue-flame  kerosene  heater  : 

Average  price,  best  grade  of  each,  $12  to  $15.  .  .  .   $12.00 

Heavy  galvanized  iron  boiler,  thirty  gallons  ......      10.00 

Average  cost  of  installation  ....................       6.00 

Jacket   for  boiler    .............................       3.50 


Cost  of  gas  heaters  of  other  types  : 

Cost  of  gas  heater  placed  under  kitchen  boiler  ....  $  6.50 

Heavy  galvanized  iron  boiler,  thirty  gallons  ......  10.00 

Cost  of  installation,  $2.50  to  $4;  average  price.  .  .  .  3.25 

Jacket  for  boiler    .............................  3.50 

$23-25 


HOT  WATER  HEATING  SYSTEMS     87 

Cost  of  gas  heater  with  coil  inside  boiler $  30.00 

Cost  of   installation    5.00 

$35-00 
Cost  of  same  with  thermostat  connection    $  65.00 

Cost  of  instantaneous  heaters   (gas)   from  $85  to 

$160;    average    $  85.00 

Cost  of  installation 28.00 

$113.00 


VII 
CHOICE  OF  FUEL  FOR  COOKING 

THERE  are  six  safe  fuels  for  kitchen  use: 
wood,   coal,   gas,   kerosene,   denatured  al- 
cohol and  electricity.     Cooking  appliances 
have  been  so  perfected  that  any  one  of  these  may 
be  used  to  meet  the  needs  of  the  household.     The 
choice  is  largely  a  matter  of  expediency  and  cost. 

WOOD 

Wood  was  the  first  fuel  to  be  used,  and  is  still 
in  general  use  in  farming  communities  where  each 
family  has  a  wood  lot,  and  can  obtain  its  supply 
at  small  expense.  It  is  a  very  satisfactory  fuel 
under  right  conditions,  and  does  not  require  the 
skill  and  forethought  necessary  to  successfully  man- 
age a  coal  range.  It  cannot  furnish  sustained  heat 
and  is  therefore  practicable  only  in  kitchens  where 
there  is  no  modern  plumbing  or  where  a  separate 
.heater  is  installed  to  heat  the  water  supply.  The 
chief  annoyance  connected  with  its  use  is  that  it 
blackens  the  bottom  of  the  cooking  utensils.  The 
most  serious  disadvantage  of  cooking  with  wood 
has  been  overcome  by  the  perfecting  of  the  fireless 
cooker.  Any  long  process  like  baking  or  steam- 
ing used  to  be  very  troublesome  because  the  wood 

88 


CHOICE  OF  FUEL  FOR  COOKING      89 

fire  had  to  be  constantly  watched  and  renewed. 
Now  the  wood  stove  may  be  used  for  heating  the 
kitchen  and  for  quick  results,  and  all  slow-cooking 
processes  completed  in  the  fireless  cooker. 

COAL 

In  1850  coal  stoves  for  cooking  began  to  be  gen- 
erally manufactured,  and  forty  years  later  we  find 
the  modern  coal  range  with  water-back  connection 
in  almost  every  prosperous  home  except  in  the 
country  districts.  As  long  as  coal  was  reasonable 
in  price  and  domestic  labor  available  for  the  aver- 
age home,  the  coal  range  held  its  own.  Its  final 
displacement  is  due  to  the  same  influences  that 
have  brought  automobiles  into  use  instead  of  horses 
-the  demands  of  an  age  that  must  get  the  max- 
imum quick  results  from  the  minimum  effort. 

The  coal  range  is  undoubtedly  still  a  valuable  re- 
source under  right  conditions.  But  in  the  hands  of 
ignorant  "  help "  or  untrained  housekeepers  it  is 
ruinously  wasteful  of  both  fuel  and  time.  Unless  it 
has  expert  management  it  does  not  do  its  work  ef- 
fectively ;  and  it  fills  the  kitchen  with  dust  and  dirt. 
The  most  perfect  types  of  coal  range  have  now 
overcome  some  of  the  disadvantages  that  cling  to 
the  general  class.  Used  in  combination  with  a  gas 
stove  the  coal  range  can  be  run  economically  and 
without  waste  of  time,  as  the  fire  can  be  main- 
tained at  an  even  heat  and  the  gas  stove  used  for 
emergency  cooking,  or  when  a  very  hot  tempera- 
ture is  required  for  a  short  time.  Baking  can  be 


90  THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

done  when  a  fresh  fire  is  made,  or  can  be  concen- 
trated in  one  or  two  days  a  week  when  the  fire  is 


FIG.  ii. —  Shows  lower  portion  of  a  coal  range  equipped  with 
ash  damper  and  chute  to  ash  can  in  cellar. 

run  at  a  baking  heat.  At  other  times  the  small 
gas  oven  can  be  used  to  better  advantage. 

The  best  types  of  coal  range  are  now  equipped 
with  oven  thermometers,  which  are  found  accurate 
enough  for  practical  purposes.  Even  housekeepers 
who  have  learned  to  cook  by  old-fashioned  methods 
find  these  a  great  help. 

A  few  ranges  are  so  constructed  that  the  ashes 
are  emptied  directly  into  a  shaft  beneath  the  grate 
leading  to  an  ash  can  in  the  cellar.  (See  Fig.  n.) 
Both  shaft  and  ash  can  are  so  enclosed  as  to  confine 


CHOICE  OF  FUEL  FOR  COOKING      91 

all  the  dust.  In  this  way  the  dirt  of  the  coal  range 
is  taken  out  of  the  kitchen,  and  one  of  its  worst  dis- 
advantages is  overcome.  Ranges  not  so  constructed 
may  be  altered  over  by  an  ingenious  mechanic.  Di- 
rections for  doing  this  are  given  in  a  recent  bulletin 
of  the  Cornell  Reading  Course. 

Coal  stoves  without  water-back  connections  cost 
from  $8.00  to  $20.00.  For  ranges  with  water- 
backs  the  price  is  from  $30.00  to  $75.00.  A  range 
costing  $35.00  will  meet  every  need  of  the  average 
home.  For  large  families,  boarding-houses  and 
farm  houses  it  is  economy  to  get  a  good  steel  range 
of  the  best  type  and  as  free  as  possible  from  un- 
necessary ornamentation.  Such  a  range  will  cost 
$75.00. 

It  is  interesting  to  note  that  in  some  of  the  large 
railroad  restaurants  where  the  equipment  is  of  the 
latest  and  most  efficient  kind,  a  coal  range  of  the 
hotel  type  is  included  in  the  outfit.  Gas  stoves, 
gas  broilers,  etc.,  are  used  for  all  the  processes 
needing  quick  results;  but  the  coal  range  is  relied 
on  for  the  great  volume  of  slow-cooking  and  baking 
operations  and  for  broiling  meats. 

Consideration  is  given  to  the  coal  stove  and  its  re- 
lation to  the  hot  water  heating  problem,  pages  71  to 
73,  in  Chapter  VI,  on  Hot  Water  Heating  Systems. 

GAS 

It  is  not  more  than  fifteen  years  since  gas  began 
to  be  used  extensively  as  a  kitchen  fuel.  Its  advan- 
tages were  first  evident  in  those  localities  where 


92  THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

natural  gas  was  found,  and  could  be  piped  direct 
to  houses.  Then  it  was  discovered  that  gas  could 
be  manufactured  from  coal  and  used  generally  as  a 
fuel  throughout  the  United  States.  At  first  the 
process  of  manufacture  was  very  expensive.  Sev- 
enty years  ago  gas  was  sold  in  New  York  City 
for  $7.00  per  thousand  feet.  To-day  the  average 
price  is  $1.00  a  thousand.  In  many  places  it  is 
as  low  as  eighty  cents;  and  a  St.  Louis  firm  re- 
cently advertised  it  for  fifty  cents!  Where  the  cost 
is  one  dollar  a  thousand  or  less  it  is  more  economical 
than  coal  for  the  kitchen,  because  its  use  can  be 
more  easily  regulated  from  the  point  of  view  of 
ecpnomy. 

Even  after  gas  had  been  proved  to  be  an  economi- 
cal and  efficient  fuel,  and  excellent  stoves  had  been 
put  on  the  market,  it  made  its  way  but  slowly  in 
private  homes,  because  of  the  conservatism  and 
prejudice  against  an  innovation.  Then  gas  stoves 
began  to  be  used  in  Western  kitchens  without  the 
coal  range.  Finally  vigorous  campaigns  of  educa- 
tion were  conducted  by  gas  companies  in  the  East, 
until  the  old  prejudice  w7as  replaced  by  an  active 
interest  in  the  new  fuel.  The  development  of  the 
fireless  cook  stove  and  steam  cooker  has  also  added 
greatly  to  the  natural  advantages  of  gas  for  cook- 
ing. 

To  sum  up  the  various  points  in  which  gas  has 
been  helpful  in  solving  the  home-maker's  problem 
of  efficiency: 


CHOICE  OF  FUEL  FOR  COOKING      93 

1.  It  is  a  clean  fuel,  being  wholly   free   from  dust  and 

ashes,  and  requires  the  minimum  care  to  keep  the 
stove  in  good  condition. 

2.  It  can  be  used  as  needed,  the  expense  stopping  instantly 

when  the  burner  is  turned  off. 

3.  It   conserves   the   time   of   the   worker,   being   alwa3~s 

ready  for  quick  results. 

4.  It  is  easy  to  handle  and  gives  good  results,  even  when 

used  with  only  mediocre  intelligence. 

5.  With  study  and  intelligent  use  it  gives  uniform  results, 

and  develops  a  high  degree  of  efficiency. 

The  choice  of  a  gas  stove  is  determined  by  the 
size  of  the  family  and  the  amount  of  income.  A 
great  number  of  very  good  stoves  are  on  the 
market,  and  in  such  variety  that  every  need  can 
be  met.  For  a  home  where  only  a  minimum  ex- 
pense can  be  incurred  $7.00  will  buy  a  three-burner 
Junior  gas  stove  with  oven.  (See  Figs.  19  and  20.) 
A  family  able  to  afford  a  more  lavish  kitchen  can 
spend  $100  for  the  latest  type  of  gas  range  with  in- 
sulated oven.  Most  of  the  companies  provide  also 
for  the  needs  of  the  renting  class  by  offering  gas 
ranges  at  a  very  moderate  yearly  rental. 

ELECTRICITY 

Electricity  has  very  many  of  the  advantages  of 
gas,  and  in  addition  does  not  exhaust  the  oxygen 
in  the  air.  lit  can  also  be  installed  in  smaller  space 
than  the  gas  stove  requires./  Its  chief  drawbacks  at 
present  are  the  high  price  of  the  electric  current 
and  the  costliness  of  electric  equipment.  The 
former  problem  is  being  solved  in  some  communi- 
ties. In  certain  parts  of  England  electricity  for 


94  THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

cooking  purposes  has  been  offered  at  a  rate  of  one 
cent  per  kilo-watt  hour.  This  is  unheard  of  in 
the  United  States,  where  ten  cents  is  an  average 
rate,  and  twelve  or  fifteen  not  at  all  unusual.  In 
only  a  few  favored  localities  is  as  low  a  rate  as 
five  cents  offered. 

The  high  price  of  electric  appliances  for  cooking 
is  partly  due  to  the  necessity  for  using  only  the  best 
materials,  such  as  nickel  and  copper  in  their  manu- 
facture; partly  also  to  the  fact  that  they  must  be 
well  and  skilfully  made.  Electric  ranges  at  present 
cost  from  $60  to  $125;  and  small  appliances  are 
proportionately  expensive.  The  excellent  quality 
of  these  utensils  will,  however,  be  a  great  advan- 
tage in  the  long  run,  once  the  problem  of  the  rate 
of  current  has  been  solved.  A  very  perfect  elec- 
tric fireless  cooker  has  been  lately  put  on  the  market. 
The  first  cost  is  high  compared  with  the  price  of 
other  fireless  cookers.  But  it  enables  the  house- 
keeper who  employs  no  maid  to  do  her  cooking 
with  the  maximum  economy  of  time  and  fuel. 
This  cooker  can  be  operated  with  great  advantage 
wherever  the  rate  does  not  exceed  seven  cents  per 
kilo-watt  hour. 

KEROSENE 

The  cheapness  of  kerosene  and  the  development 
of  good  types  of  blue-flame  kerosene  stoves  have 
made  this  fuel  a  great  resource  in  communities 
where  it  is  not  possible  to  obtain  gas.  When  used 
in  connection  with  a  fireless  cooker  and  a  steamer, 


1>        I 

b£    O 

SI 


in 


-3M 

<U     V) 

=  1* 


'      «9     J* 

s'-S   o 


II 


CHOICE.  OF  FUEL  FOR  COOKING      95 

a  good  three-burner  kerosene  stove  with  a  two- 
burner  portable  oven  (Fig.  19)  is  sufficient  to  meet 
the  needs  of  a  family  of  five  or  six  people. 

There  are  two  types  of  stove,  those  having  wicks 
and  those  without;  and  a  great  many  makes  of 
each  type.  Some  are  good  and  some  are  not  worth 
buying.  Indeed  there  is  no  part  of  the  kitchen 
equipment  more  important  to  choose  with  care  than 
the  kerosene  stove  and  oven. 

The  best  manufacturers  carry  a  very  complete 
repair  stock,  so  that  worn-out  parts  may  be  renewed. 
These  stoves  need  intelligent  care,  and  those  with 
wicks  must  have  the  wicks  frequently  renewed. 
Otherwise  they  burn  with  a  disagreeable  odor. 
The  inside  of  the  enameled  drum  protecting  the 
flarne  should  be  wiped  out  weekly  and  left  thor- 
oughly dry.  The  burner  parts  must  be  taken  off 
and  brushed  with  a  stiff  brush  to  prevent  clogging. 
Especial  care  should  be  taken  not  to  let  liquids  boil 
over  and  run  down  into  the  burners. 

A  highly  perfected  cooking  device  which  may  be 
run  by  kerosene  is  the  Aladdin  oven.  In  this  the 
cooking  is  done  inside  an  insulated  oven,  sixteen  by 
fourteen  by  seventeen  inches.  The  oven  is  heated 
by  means  of  a  large  kerosene  lamp  or  a  Bunsen 
burner.  This  oven  has  not  been  used  as  exten- 
sively as  it  deserved  on  account  of  the  cost,  which 
is  in  the  neighborhood  of  $25.00.  This  often  seems 
to  housekeepers  prohibitive  when  so  many  kerosene 
utensils  are  offered  for  very  much  less. 


96  THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

It  should  be  remembered,  however,  that  first  cost 
is  only  one  of  many  considerations  in  deciding 
whether  one  article  is  really  cheaper  than  another. 
Efficiency,  operating  cost,  satisfactory  service  in 
the  long  run  are  factors  infinitely  more  important. 
And  this  is  particularly  true  of  the  more  permanent 
utensils  and  equipment  of  the  kitchen.  When 
home-makers  realize  this  they  will  be  willing  to 
economize  on  unessential  things,  and  will  gladly 
pay  higher  prices  for  honest  tools  which  are  really 
efficient  for  the  work  they  are  supposed  to  do. 

Kerosene  of  the  right  specific  gravity  is  a  safe 
fuel  when  used  with  ordinary  precautions.  The 
law  in  the  several  states  regulates  the  specific 
gravity;  and  the  housekeeper  herself  must  exercise 
the  necessary  precautions.  The  stove  should  never 
be  filled  when  it  is  lighted;  nor  should  it  be  left 
lighted  when  the  housekeeper  goes  out.  Food  that 
needs  long  cooking  may  be  finished  in  the  fireless 
cooker  and  the  kerosene  flame  turned  out.  It  is 
also  important  to  keep  the  kerosene  in  a  safe  place 
outside  the  house  and  beyond  the  reach  of  the  chil- 
dren. 

DENATURED  ALCOHOL 

Denatured  alcohol  may  be  used  under  the  same 
conditions  as  kerosene,  and  in  addition  is  a  very 
desirable  fuel  for  dining-room  cooking  and  for  light 
housekeeping.  (See  Chapter  XL) 

Being  cleaner  than  kerosene,  and  also  free  from 
unpleasant  odors,  it  can  be  used  in  a  tiny  kitchen- 


CHOICE  OF  FUEL  FOR  COOKING      97 

ette  as  well  as  in  an  ordinary  kitchen.  Its  efficiency 
is  about  equal  to  that  of  kerosene,  when  the  best 
type  of  alcohol  stove  is  compared  to  the  best  type 


FIG.  12 


FIG.  13 


FIG.  14 

FIGS.  12  and  14  are  types  of  small  alcohol  stove  adapted  for 
dining-room  use  and  light-housekeeping.  FIG.  13  is  es- 
pecially suited  for  supplementary  kitchen  use. 

of  kerosene  stove.  There  are  many  worthless 
stoves  on  the  market,  and  great  care  must  be  used 
in  selecting  a  type  that  has  been  thoroughly  tested. 
The  cost  of  denatured  alcohol  when  bought  by  the 


oS  THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

barrel  ranges  from  forty  cents  a  gallon  up  to 
seventy-five  cents  in  certain  parts  of  the  country. 
If  it  could  be  put  on  the  market  at  a  more  reason- 
able  figure  as  it  is  in  Germany,  it  would  prove  a 
great  resource  in  farming  communities.  At  its 
present  price  it  cannot  compare  with  kerosene  for 
cheapness,  kerosene  averaging  J^c  per  hour,  and 
alcohol  \l/2  cents. 

The  best  alcohol  stove  for  kitchen  use  is  the 
wickless  type.  This  comes  in  two-burner,  portable 
form,  and  should  be  placed  on  a  cabinet  base.  A 
separate  single-burner  stove  ought  to  be  purchased 
in  addition.  (See  Figs.  12,  13  and  14.)  A  well 
insulated  two-burner  oven,  a  fireless  cooker  and  a 
steamer  are  needed  to  make  the  equipment  complete 
and  efficient. 


VIII 
SELECTING  THE  FIXED  EQUIPMENT 

"IT  N  Chapters  I  and  III  we  have  shown  how  to  so 
locate  the  fixed  equipment  of  the  kitchen  that 
JL  it  will  best  conserve  the  energy  and  time  of  the 
worker.  Now  we  come  to  an  equally  important 
consideration,  the  selection  of  the  equipment  itself. 
The  four  kitchen  accessories  which  cost  the  most 
money  and  on  which,  more  than  any  others,  the 
comfort  of  the  worker  depends,  are  the  sink,  stove, 
work-table  and  refrigerator.  Two  of  these,  the 
sink  and  the  stove,  are  usually  supplied  by  the  land- 
lord in  the  rented  house.  But  as  they  are  often 
defective  and  need  attention  and  replacing,  it  is 
highly  important  for  the  home-maker,  whether  she 
rents  or  owns  her  own  home,  to  thoroughly  under- 
stand the  principles  which  make  for  efficiency  in 
these  two  important  adjuncts  to  the  modern  kitchen. 
The  sink  ought  to  be  of  a  material  that  is  easily 
kept  clean.  It  should  have  open  plumbing,  and 
should  be  set  at  a  convenient  height  for  the  worker. 
The  best  height  for  a  woman  5  feet  2  inches  tall 
is  to  have  the  working  surface  of  the  sink  set  27 
.inches  from  the  floor.  A  sink  which  rests  on  legs 

99 


IOO 


THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 


is  almost  always  too  low;  so  it  is  best  to  get  the 
type  which  is  attached  to  the  wall  by  concealed 
hangers.  (See  Fig.  15.)  To  properly  strengthen 
the  wall  for  this  purpose  have  a  board  of  the  proper 
size  and  thickness  nailed  to  the  studs  from  which  to 
suspend  the  hangers. 


FIG.  15. —  White  enameled  wall-type  of  sink,  size  20x30,  at- 
tached to  wall  by  concealed  hangers.  Also  comes  with 
combination  faucet  and  double  drain-boards. 

The  cost  of  fitting  and  installing  any  kind  of  sink 
is  about  eight  dollars,  and  may  be  more  if  the 
plumbing  connection  is  complicated.  This  esti- 
mate is  based  on  allowing  $1.50  for  the  faucets, 
$3.50  for  the  trap  and  $3.00  for  the  connection. 
To  this  must  be  added  the  cost  of  the  sink  itself 
and  the  drain-boards. 

Sinks  now  come  in  galvanized  iron,  wrought  iron, 
soapstone,  slate,  white  enameled-ware  and  crock- 
ery. The  galvanized  iron  are  the  cheapest  and 


SELECTING  THE  EQUIPMENT  J  "161 

least  desirable  of  all,  being  very  difficult  to  keep 
clean.  Next  come  the  iron  sinks,  which  cost  about 
$2.00.  They  were  universally  used  a.  few  years 
ago  and  are  easily  cleaned  and  sanitary;  but  are 
unattractive  in  appearance  and  require  much  more 
care  than  either  the  soap-stone,  slate,  enameled-ware 
or  crockery.  They  are  usually  set  in  a  frame  of 
wood,  covered  with  zinc.  The  zinc  is  carried  up  at 
the  back  to  protect  the  wall.  This  is  the  work  of  a 
carpenter  and  costs  from  $2.00  to  $4.00  extra. 

For  country  houses  where  a  large  sink  is  desired 
a  soap-stone  or  slate  sink  is  the  best.  For  farm 
houses  the  soap-stone  would  be  preferable.  A 
soap-stone  sink  with  splasher  back  costs  from  $12.00 
to  $16.00.  For  the  ordinary  home  and  the  average 
sized  kitchen  a  sink  of  white  enameled  ware  is  the 
best  choice.  This  sink,  in  a  reliable  grade,  costs 
$8.00  for  a  size  20  by  30.  A  still  better  grade,  wall 
type  and  with  combination  faucets,  and  splasher 
back,  costs  $22.00.  The  $8.00  sink  will  cost,  in- 
stalled, about  $16.00,  and  the  $22.00  sink  about 
$30.00.  To  this  must  be  added  from  $4.00  to 
$10.00  for  drain-boards.  Crockery  sinks  cost  from 
$40.00  to  $100.00,  and  so  are  possible  only  in 
wealthy  homes. 

It  is  important  to  protect  the  enameled-ware  or 
crockery  sink  from  scratches,  by  a  wooden  rack  or 
rubber  mat  which  may  rest  in  the  sink  through  the 
day.  At  night  the  rack  may  be  removed  and  aired. 

While  the  cost  of  an  iron  sink,  when  properly 


102          THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

encased  in  a  frame  and  protected  at  back  and  on 
drain-boards  with  zinc,  will  not  be  far 'from  the 
cost  of  the  inexpensive  grade  of  enameled-ware, 
they  will  stand  harder  service  and  would  be  better 
for  the  farm  house  than  the  enameled-ware.  How- 
ever the  soap-stone  meets  that  need  so  well  that 
other  types  are  hardly  worth  while  considering.  In 
some  farm  houses  the  sinks  are  made  of  copper 
and  there  are  two  set  side  by  side.  One  is  used 
for  washing  the  dirty  dishes  and  the  other  for 
scalding  or  rinsing  dishes.  This  is  an  excellent 
plan  where  there  are  many  dishes  to  be  washed 
and  proves  a  great  advantage  also  in  boarding- 
houses.  The  second  sink  has  many  uses  besides 
that  of  scalding  the  dishes.  It  is  invaluable  for 
cleaning  and  preparing  vegetables.  Many  things 
like  spinach,  which  require  abundant  rinsing,  could 
be  handled  with  great  facility  with  such  an  arrange- 
ment. Such  sinks  are  found  in  the  kitchenettes  of 
dining-cars  on  the  Pullman  system  and  are  made  of 
German  silver.  An  immense  amount  of  dish- 
washing is  done  by  one  person  in  a  very  short 
time.  In  these  kitchenettes  there  is  no  room  for 
storing  dirty  dishes.  Everything  must  be  washed 
up  immediately  and  put  away. 

It  is  a  great  convenience  in  a  kitchen  to  have 
ample  drain-boards,  preferably  at  both  left  hand 
and  right.  But  if  only  one  is  possible  it  should 
be  placed  on  the  left  hand  side.  Sometimes  there 
is  room  for  a  small  one  on  the  right  and  a  long 


SELECTING  THE  EQUIPMENT       103 

one  on  the  left.  With  this  arrangement  the  dishes 
can  be  piled  up  on  the  right  hand  end  ready  to 
wash.  Where  there  is  not  room  for  even  a  small 
drain-board  on  the  right  side,  a  table  on  castors 
or  a  wheel  cart  may  be  used  instead.  It  is  best  to 
avoid  handling  anything  more  than  once,  so  the 
wheel  cart  should  hold  its  load  until  all  the  dishes 
have  been  transferred  to  the  dish-pan. 

Wooden  drain-boards  are  usually  made  of  ash, 
and  oiled.  They  are  not  very  attractive  in  appear- 
ance; so  many  housekeepers  prefer  the  enameled- 
ware  ones  to  match  the  sink. 

Some  housekeepers  have  the  ash  drain-boards 
painted  white  and  enameled.  This  is  possible  in 
kitchens  where  the  work  is  done  deftly  but  would 
not  be  practical  for  the  average  kitchen  where  the 
boards  get  hard  wear.  ZinjQGQvered.  drain-boards 
are  the  most  satisfactory  where  durability  is  an 
essential.  A  cheaper  grade  of  wood  may  be  se- 
lected where  they  are  to  be  covered  with  zinc. 

The  sink  should  have  open  plumbing  so  that  it 
is  always  possible  to  get  at  the  pipes  and  so  that 
the  light  and  air  can  keep  everything  clean.  The 
connection  with  the  waste  pipe  is  made  by  means 
of  a  trap  (a  bend  in  the  pipe  devised  to  retain 
enough  water  to  act  as  a  seal  and  prevent  the  pas- 
sage of  foul  air  back  into  the  room). 

Figures  16  and  17  show  two  types  of  trap  in  com- 
mon use.  Figure  18  shows  a  trap  not  properly 
constructed.  If  the  water  does  not  stand  at  least 


IO4 


THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 


one  inch  in  the  bend  it  is  likely  to  evaporate  and 
fall  below  the  bend  and  thus  break  the  seal. 

Plumbers    tell    us    that    very    few    housekeepers 
realize  the  importance  of  flushing  the  pipes  with 


FIGS.   16  and   17  are  known  as   S-trap  and  bottle-trap.     The 
water  standing  above  bend  is  called  the  water  seal. 


FIG.  18  represents  a  defective  S-trap.  The  water  does  not 
rise  above  the  bend  and  permits  foul  gases  to  get  out  into 
the  room. 

NOTE. —  Reprinted   by   courtesy    of    Whitcomb   &  Barrows 
from  "  House   Sanitation,"  by  Marion  Talbot. 

plenty  of  hot  water  every  day.  If  this  were  done, 
and  if  proper  precautions  were  taken  to  prevent  an 
excessive  amount  of  grease  from  getting  into  the 
dish  water,  there  would  be  very  few  cases  of 
stopped-up  sinks  and  no  unpleasant  odors. 

For   various   reasons    fully   explained   in   Chap- 


SELECTING  THE  EQUIPMENT       105 

ters  VI  and  VII,  new  kitchens  are  being  fitted 
up  with  gas  stoves  and  separate  water-heating 
systems  instead  of  the  customary  coal  range  with 
water-back  connection.  This  is  because  the  gas 
stove  is  free  from  dust  and  ashes  and  requires 
less  skill  to  handle,  and  because  its  heat  is  availa- 
ble the  instant  it  is  needed.  In  country  kitchens 
where  gas  is  not  available  kerosene  or  alcohol 
stoves  are  practical  for  small  families,  used  in 
connection  with  a  good  fireless  cook-stove  and 
steamer.  For  large  families  where  it  is  desira- 
ble to  retain  the  coal  range  it  will  be  found  an 
economy  of  time  and  fuel  to  purchase  a  gas  or 
kerosene  stove  for  supplementary  use  in  cooking. 
It  is  often  necessary  to  heat  something  up  quickly 
when  the  coal  range  is  banked  for  the  afternoon; 
instead  of  starting  up  the  range  or  going  without 
what  one  wants,  the  small  stove  can  be  lighted  and 
used  instead.  It  is  not  to  be  recommended  to  re- 
place the  coal  stove  with  gas,  unless  both  the  heat- 
ing and  hot-water  problems  are  properly  solved.  In 
houses  where  the  heating  system  is  adequate  it  is 
not  a  vital  matter  to  have  the  kitchen  heated,  but 
in  a  large  majority  of  cases,  the  houses  are  poorly 
built  and  equipped  with  inadequate  furnaces  and 
would  be  very  uncomfortable  without  the  extra 
heat  from  the  coal  stove.  It  should  also  be  re- 
membered that  provision  must  be  made  for  heating 
the  house  in  the  late  spring  and  early  fall  when 
furnace  heat  is  only  needed  part  of  the  day.  These 


io6          THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

provisions  having  been  made,  the  next  question  to 
decide  is  what  make  of  gas  stove  to  select. 

Gas  stoves  of  such  excellent  make  are  on  the 
market,  and  in  such  great  variety,  that  it  is  possible 
to  find  something  especially  suitable  for  each  kitchen 
and  at  a  price  that  any  one  can  afford.  To  give 
some  idea  of  the  range  O'f  choice  we  have  divided 
the  different  types  into  groups,  giving  with  each 
group  the  approximate  price  and  the  outfit  that 
should  be  purchased  in  order  to  use  the  gas  most 
economically.  The  gas  kitchen  is  never  complete 
without  the  fireless  cooker,  and  while  this  is  not 
included  in  each  group  it  is  understood  to  be  a 
necessary  part  of  the  outfit. 

Gas  stoves  have  been  long  enough  on  the  market 
to  furnish  the  home-maker  with  one-  of  the  surest 
of  all  tests  for  reliability,  "  the  test  of  time."  Un- 
less you  can  secure  reliable  information  about  new 
makes  it  will  be  best  to  select  a  stove  made  by  a  well 
known  and  reliable  firm.  And  they  manufacture 
among  them  almost  every  known  type  of  stove, 
fitted  to  every  need  and  condition.  Certain  special 
features  may  be  found  in  one  make  and  not  in  an- 
other, so  it  is  a  good  plan  to  look  the  field  over 
before  you  make  your  choice.  Your  local  dealer  can 
get  any  type  that  you  prefer,  but  he  will  generally 
try  to  get  you  to  buy  something  that  he  has  in  stock, 
irrespective  of  whether  or  not  it  is  for  your  best 
interest. 

It  is  not  wise  as  a  rule  to  send  too  far  away  for 


SELECTING  THE  EQUIPMENT       107 

your  stove,  because  long  distance  negotiations  are 
inconvenient  in  case  of  defects  or  necessary  repair^. 
In   general   the   features  of   a  gas   stove   to  be 
especially  noted  are  the  following: 

1.  Good  burners  that  can  be  adjusted  to  varying 

pressure  of  gas  permit  economical  use. 

2.  Good  construction.     Best  stoves  are  made  of 

steel  and  have  ovens  insulated  with  two  lay- 
ers of  asbestos  with  dead  air  space  between. 

3.  Simplicity  of  design.     No  elaborate  ornamenta- 

tion which  requires  time  and  labor  for  polish- 
ing. 

4.  Good-sized  oven.     An  1 8-inch  oven  is  very  su- 

perior to  a  1 6-inch,  promoting  economy  in 
baking. 

5.  Elevated  oven  and  broiler,  to  prevent  awkward 

and  trying  bending  over. 

6.  Provision  for  carrying  off  fumes  of  gas,  either 

by  connection  with  flue  or  by  means  of  small 
register  and  hood  for  ventilation. 

7.  Facilities  for  warming  dishes.     In  some  types 

of  range  this  need  is  provided  for.  In 
smaller  stoves  special  supplementary  arrange- 
ments may  be  made.  See  pages  68  and  69, 
Chapter  V. 

8.  Proper  location  to  insure  good  light. 

9.  Proper  height. 

10.  Proper  fire  protection  for  wall  back  of  stove. 

11.  Fire  protection  under  stove. 

The  following  conveniences  add  to  the  attrac- 


io8          THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

tiveness  and  price  of  gas  stoves,  but  do  not  increase 
their  efficiency : 

1.  Glass  doors,  convenient  for  watching  the  prog- 

ress of  baking,  but  easily  broken  by  draughts 
of  cold  air  on  over-heated  glass. 

2.  White  enameled  lining  to  oven,   drip-pan  and 

broiler. 

3.  Additional  oven.     Ranges  having  a  small  and 

a  large  oven,  convenient  and  desirable  in 
small  families  doing  much  entertaining  and 
for  large  families. 

4.  Special  reflector  arrangement  which  acts  as  an 

index  if  oven  light  goes  out.  (Does  not  add 
to  expense,  only  found  in  one  make.) 

5.  Special   arrangement   of   burners,    differing   in 

different  makes. 

VARIOUS  TYPES   OF  GAS   STOVE  AND  THE  COST 

I.  Three-burner  Junior  gas  stove  with  portable 
oven   (see  Figs.   19  and  20),  costing  about  $7.00. 
This  gives  very  efficient  service,  and,  used  in  con- 
nection with  the  fireless  cooker  and  steamer,  will 
meet  the  needs  of  a  large   family.     It  should  be 
placed  on  a  cabinet  base,  covered  with  zinc,   and 
having  a  place  for  the  portable  oven  and  steamer 
conveniently  at  hand. 

II.  A  four-burner  oven  range,  either  plain  type 
with  oven  below  burners   (illustrated  in  plate)    or 
with  elevated  oven.     (See  Fig.  21.)     Costs  from 
$18,00  to  $25.00, 


SELECTING  THE  EQUIPMENT       109 

III.  Four-burner   cabinet   range   with   one  oven 
and  broiler.     (See  plate.)     Provides  a  place   for 


lac.   19.— Double  portable  oven  to  be  used  with  Junior  gas 
stove,   alcohol   or   kerosene   stoves. 

warming  dishes  on  top  shelf  above  oven.     $25.00 
to  $30.00. 

IV.  Combination  gas  and  coal  stove.  Recom- 
mended for  houses  where  coal  stove  must  be  used 
to  heat  water  supply  and  heat  kitchen.  $58.00. 


FIG.  20.— Junior  gas  stove,  the  simplest  and  least  expensive 
type  of  gas  stove. 

V.  Combination  gas  and  fireless  cook-stove. 
Two  kinds : 

i.  Consists  of  wooden  cabinet  containing  com- 
partments for  fireless  cooker  and  its  utensils 


no 


THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 


with  a  four-burner  gas  stove  above.  This  kind 
of  combination  gas  and  fireless  cooker  has  a  gas 
stove  just  like  any  other  gas  stove.  The  elevated 


FIG.  21. —  A   four-burner  standard  oven  range  with  elevated 
oven   and   broiler.     A    very   desirable   type. 

baking  oven  with  warming  oven  above  and  broil- 
ing oven  below  is  located  at  the  right-hand  side 
and  the  four  top  burners  are  on  the  left-hand  side. 
The  cabinet  on  which  the  stove  rests  is  made  of 
weathered  oak  instead  of  iron  or  steel,  and  contains 
a  compartment  for  storing  the  utensils  to  the  fire- 
less  cooker  and  two  open  compartments  in  which 
the  fireless  cookers  remain  when  not  in  use.  This 
combination  is  very  useful  as  a  space-saver,  giv- 
ing one  the  advantage  of  both  a  large  gas  stove  and 
a  large  fireless  cooker. 

2.  A  gas  stove  having  a  special  insulated  oven, 


SELECTING  THE  EQUIPMENT       in 

and  equipped  with  hoods  which  can  be  lowered 
over  the  open  burners  on  the  top  of  the  stove  and 
act  as  heat-retaining  compartments,  is  also  on  the 
market.  It  is  very  much  liked  and  gives  unusually 
good  results  in  baking  because  of  the  perfect  in- 
sulation of  the  oven.  It  is  expensive  and  therefore 
beyond  the  means  of  the  average  family,  but  where 
it  can  be  afforded  it  will  be  economical  in  operating 
expenses  and  will  be  a  great  satisfaction  to  house- 
keepers who  wish  to  secure  accurate  results  in 
baking.  It  costs  from  $35.00  to  $175.00.  One 
suited  to  the  average  family  of  five  costs  $65.00. 

VI.  The  Aladdin  Oven  is  an  invention  that  has 
been  on  the  market  for  twenty  years  and  can  be 
operated  either  by  gas  or  kerosene.  It  has  been 
thoroughly  tested  by  many  cooking  schools.  It  is 
a  heat-retaining  cooking  box  with  well  insulated 
walls  so  that  a  temperature  of  400  degrees  may  be 
maintained  in  the  oven.  Height  including  stand  is 
4  ft.,  width  21  ins.,  depth  i6l/2.  Inside  dimensions 
of  oven  1 6  by  17  by  14.  There  are  three  shelves  in 
the  oven  and  a  drop  door.  The  cost  of  cooking  in 
this  oven  is  very  low  and  the  results  very  perfect. 
One  would  need  a  three-burner  gas  stove  to  com- 
plete the  outfit  if  the  Aladdin  oven  is  purchased. 
Cost,  $25.00. 

KEROSENE  AND  ALCOHOL  STOVES 

The  desirability  of  kerosene  and  alcohol  as  fuels 
has  been  discussed  in  Chapter  VII.  While  a  num- 
ber of  cheap  stoves  of  each  kind  are  on  the  market 


H2          THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

they  cannot  be  recommended  as  being  economical 
to  purchase  where  length  of  service  is  required. 
They  may  do  for  a  season's  use  or  two,  but  for  a 
permanent  investment  we  recommend  only  stoves  of 
the  best  make. 

Blue-flame  kerosene  stoves  come  in  two,  three 
and  four-burner  type,  and  in  either  the  portable 
form  or  on  cabinet  bases.  The  cost  of  a  reliable 
make  with  oven  will  be  around  $15.00. 

The  alcohol  stove  is  made  at  present  only  in  one 
and  two-burner  portable  types.  It  is  desirable  to 
have  a  special  cabinet  made  with  zinc-covered  top 
on  which  the  stove  may  rest.  Shelves  underneath 
hold  the  portable  oven,  steamers,  etc.,  used  with 
the  stove.  For  general  use  one  needs  at  least  three 
burners.  This  may  be  secured  by  purchasing  a 
two-burner  type  for  kitchen  use  exclusively  and  a 
one-burner  type  in  either  kitchen  or  dining-room 
type.  (See  page  97,  Figs.  12,  13  and  14.)  The 
former  costs  $9.00,  and  the  latter  may  be  secured 
from  $1.50  to  $4.50. 

COAL  RANGES 

Coal  stoves  of  very  simple  design  may  be  pur- 
chased for  as  low  as  $9,  but  a  modern  range,  suited 
to  the  average  needs  of  a  family  of  five,  cannot  be 
secured  for  less  than  $20.  From  $20  to  $45  one 
can  find  a  great  number  of  good  makes,  varying 
more  in  grade  of  material  and  excellence  of  con- 
struction and  design  than  in  outward  appearance. 


SELECTING  THE  EQUIPMENT       113 

The  price  quoted  on  a  range  usually  includes  setting 
in  position  and  in  most  cases  the  cost  oi  the  stove- 
pipe. Where  this  is  not  included  in  the  price  it  will 
cost  about  $1.00  for  stovepipe  and  two  or  three  dol- 
lars for  setting.  If  the  range  is  to  be  equipped  with 
a  hot-water  back  one  must  allow  five  dollars  extra, 
and  from  five  to  eight  dollars  to  connect  the  range 
to  the  hot-water  boiler.  Five  dollars  is  the  average 
charge  where  the  connection  does  not  require  extra 
piping  or  extra  work.  This  price  should  include 
brass  piping,  but  it  is  necessary  to  specify  that  this 
is  desired,  as  in  some  localities  iron  piping  is  more 
commonly  used. 

Where  unusually  large  ranges  are  needed,  as  for 
farms  or  boarding-houses,  it  often  pays  to  get  the 
best  make  of  French  steel  range,  which  costs  $75.00. 
It  is  not  wise  to  make  cost  the  first  consideration, 
as  it  often  pays  to  get  a  more  expensive  make  that 
will  insure  economy  of  operation  and  last  longer. 

With  a  coal  range  one  needs  the  following  equip- 
ment: 

Cheap  grade     Best  grade 

Poker    $  .10  $     .25 

Rake  for  cleaning  soot 10  .25 

Whisk   broom    25  .25 

Blacking  brush  and  dauber  ...     .25  .75 

Stove  lifter    10  .25 

Shovel    10  .25 

Coal  scuttle   35  .60 

Ash  can    50  3.00 

Broiler    25  .25 

Ash  sifter 65  5.00 

$2.65  $10.85 


ii4          THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

An  ash  sifter,  fitting  over  a  barrel,  or  galvanized 
can,  will  pay  for  itself  in  a  short  time.  It  pays  in 
this  case  where  it  is  possible  to  buy  the  five-dollar 
kind,  as  it  is  so  well  made  that  it  will  last  many 
years.  It  is  much  easier  to  operate  than  the  little 
one,  making  the  ash  sifting  a  less  dusty  operation. 
It  is  needed  for  the  furnace  as  well  as  for  the  range 
and  laundry  heater. 

Gas  stove  outfit,  needed  to  use  gas  with  economy : 

Small  toaster   $  .25 

3-compartment  steamer   2.00 

Gas  lighter   25 


$2.50 
Kerosene  stove  outfit: 

i  gallon  and  one  5-gallon  can  $1.20 

Toaster    25 

Steamer    .  2.00 


$345 
Alcohol  outfit: 

Small  and  large  can  $1.25 

Pourer    15 

Toaster    25 

Steamer   .  2.00 


$3-65 
Summary : 

Cheapest  reliable  coal-stove  and  outfit $22.65 

Cheapest  reliable  gas  stove  and  outfit....  9.50 
Cheapest  reliable  alcohol  stove  and  outfit. .  17.65 
Cheapest  reliable  kerosene  stove  and  outfit.  16.95 

NOTE. —  A  special  top  for  gas  stoves  is  on  the  market 
called  a  "heat  controller,"  which  distributes  the  heat  of 
one  burner  so  that  the  whole  top  is  heated  and  available 
for  cooking.  Two  sections  are  needed  for  a  four-burner 
stove. 


SELECTING  THE  EQUIPMENT       115 
THE   WORK-TABLE  AND   ITS  ACCESSORIES 

The  advantages  of  having  the  work-table  so  ar- 
ranged that  the  wall  space  back  of  it  may  be 
available  for  shelves  was  spoken  of  in  the  chapter  on 
"Built-in  Conveniences"  (pages  48  to  51).  The 
convenience  and  desirability  of  this  arrangement 
cannot  be  over-emphasized.  In  fact,  the  type  of  ta- 
ble selected  is  of  far  less  importance  than  the  proper 
placing  of  it  so  that  the  worker  has  her  supplies 
conveniently  at  hand  and  a  good  light  to  work  by. 

The  cheapest  kitchen  table  is  one  measuring  36 
inches  and  selling  for  about  $2.50.  Such  a  table 
has  a  single  drawer  for  cutlery.  The  top  may  be 
covered  with  a  good  grade  of  table  oil-cloth,  but 
it  is  advisable  to  have  it  covered  with  zinc.  This 
adds  about  $1.75  to  the  cost,  but  it  will  be  found 
worth  the  difference  in  price  because  the  various 
labor-saving  utensils  may  be  clamped  to  the  edge 
without  disfiguring  the  table. 

Much  more  convenient  than  the  ordinary  kitchen 
table  is  the  Pastry  Table  of  the  same  size,  shown 
in  the  illustration  facing  page  44.  Pastry  tables 
have  two  drawers  for  cutlery,  two  pastry  boards  to 
pull  out,  and  two  bins  for  different  kinds  of  flour 
underneath.  The  flour  bins  are  zinc-lined.  These 
tables  cost  about  $8.00,  and  may  be  covered  with 
either  zinc  or  white  enamel,  as  preferred.  This 
adds  from  $1.75  to  $2.75  to  the  cost  The  zinc  is 
recommended  for  ordinary  conditions,  as  this  table 
gets  hard  wear. 


n6          THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

A  pastry  table  like  this,  with  two  narrow  shelves 
above  it,  can  be  used  in  almost  any  kitchen.  It  is 
a  good  investment  for  the  home-maker  who  must 
live  in  rented  houses,  because  both  the  table  and 
shelves  can  be  easily  carried  about  and  adapted  to 
different  conditions. 

KITCHEN  CABINETS 

These  are  especially  desirable  for  families  who 
do  not  own  their  own  homes.  They  should,  in  fact, 
be  considered  a  necessity  in  families  who  are  unable 
to  have  permanent  home  centers.  A  well  designed 
kitchen  cabinet  will  make  almost  any  kitchen  con- 
venient. A  number  of  excellent  designs  are  on  the 
market,  and  equipped  with  every  kind  of  conven- 
ience imaginable.  As  there  is  such  great  variety  to 
choose  from,  and  as  some  of  the  appointments  es- 
pecially appeal  to  certain  housekeepers  and  do  not 
appeal  to  others,  it  is  important  to  get  the  particular 
type  you  will  like  to  use  for  a  lifetime,  and  cost  is  a 
secondary  consideration.  Very  expensive  types 
have  the  inside  of  the  cabinet  painted  with  white 
enamel  and  a  white  porcelain  enamel  pastry  board 
or  "  bake  board,"  as  it  is  sometimes  called.  These 
cost  in  the  neighborhood  of  $50.00.  A  very  de- 
sirable type  can  be  bought  for  $27.50. 

A  wrell  made  kitchen  cabinet  must  be  made  of 
good  wood,  well-seasoned.  The  finish  also  adds 
to  its  cost,  but  the  most  important  consideration  is 
the  wood.  Poorly  seasoned  wood  warps  and  swells 


SELECTING  THE  EQUIPMENT       117 

and  is  a  constant  annoyance  in  opening  and  closing 
drawers.  Another  point  to  remember  in  selecting 
a  cabinet  is  the  outfit  of  utensils  that  go  with  the 
different  types.  For  a  housekeeper  fitting  out  with 
everything  new  a  cabinet  containing  a  complete  list 
of  containers  will  save  her  at  least  $10.00  in  the 
utensils  she  will  have  to  purchase.  If  one  already 
has  this  outfit  a  type  of  cabinet  may  be  selected  that 
does  not  include  them,  or  one  can  buy  the  base  alone 
and  depend  on  having  narrow  shelves  fastened  to 
the  wall  above  it  to  hold  the  supplies. 

A  home-made  kitchen  cabinet  can  be  contrived 
with  moderate  expense,  in  families  where  the  hus- 
band or  brother  is  handy  with  tools,  and  where  out- 
side labor  need  not  be  called  in.  If  both  lumber 
and  labor  must  be  purchased,  the  cost  will  equal 
that  of  the  ready-made  cabinet.  With  a  home- 
made cabinet  the  wall  space  can  be  used  to  the  best 
possible  advantage.  The  cost  of  building  a  cabinet 
of  this  kind  will  be  approximately  as  follows : 

Lumber    -rrrrTT' $  7.75 

Labor    8.00 

Zinc  for  work-shelf  1.75 


$17.50 

Equipment  needed  to  make  this  cabinet  as  com- 
plete as  the  manufactured  ones  on  the  market  is 
enumerated  in  the  following  list : 

i  25-lb.  patent  flour  bin  and  sifter $  3.50 

1  5-lb.  container  for  pastry  flour 25 

2  2-qt.  glass  jars  for  rye  and  entire  wheat  flour..       .20 


n8          THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

i  2-lb.  container  oat-meal    15 

i  8-lb.  sugar  container   50 

i  doz.  chemists'  bottles  with  wide  mouths  and  glass 

stoppers    i  .25 

6  pt.  jars,  various  supplies 45 

9  qt.   jars    50 

i  roll-top  bread  box  1.75 

i  bread   knife    5° 

1  cake    box    75 

2  stone  crocks   for  crackers   90 

$10.70 

The  total  cost  of  such  an  open-shelf  cabinet 
and  its  equipment  will  be  around  $28.00  if  all  the 
lumber  and  labor  must  be  paid  for.  It  may  exceed 
this  cost  if  extra  drawers  and  compartments  are 
made.  When  the  lumber  is  on  hand  and  the  work 
can  be  done  by  some  member  of  the  family,  or  where 
the  equipment  is  already  part  of  the  present  kitchen 
outfit,  it  may  save  considerable  expense  to  use  what 
one  has  instead  of  buying  a  ready-made  one.  In 
many  cases  the  available  space  in  a  kitchen  can  be 
utilized  to  far  better  advantage  by  building  a  cab- 
inet than  by  using  a  ready-made  one.  It  thus  be- 
comes a  question  of  expediency. 

THE  REFRIGERATOR 

"  There  are  two  questions  which  almost  every 
woman  asks  when  she  buys  a  refrigerator,"  said  a 
representative  of  one  of  the  best  refrigerator  com- 
panies the  other  day,  "  and  neither  of  these  has  any- 
thing to  do  with  the  problem  of  refrigeration.  One 
question  relates  to  the  outside  finish,  and  the  other 


SELECTING  THE  EQUIPMENT       119 

to  the  appearance  of  the  inside."  The  first  essen- 
tial in  a  good  refrigerator,  the  most  important  con- 
sideration, is  its  construction,  insuring  perfect  insu- 
lation and  circulation  of  air-currents.  The  outside 
casing  is  only  important  as  regards  durable,  seasoned 
wood  or  metal,  with  tight  fitting  joints. 

As  the  whole  value  of  the  refrigerator  lies  in  its 
maintaining  a  low  and  uniform  temperature,  this 
matter  of  insulation  is  of  the  first  importance.  To 
thoroughly  protect  the  inside  of  the  refrigerator 
from  atmospheric  conditions  it  is  necessary  that  the 
outer  wooden  or  metal  case  be  lined  with  several 
layers  of  non-conducting  material  with  a  dead  air 
space  between.  The  best  refrigerators  have  from 
eight  to  twelve  such  layers.  Refrigerators  so.  con- 
structed can  maintain  a  temperature  of  40  to  42  de- 
grees, whereas  inferior  makes  maintain  only  50 
degrees  and  very  poor  ones  60  degrees. 

The  second  essential  is  good  circulation  of  air 
currents.  Low  temperature  in  a  refrigerator  is  a 
result  of  the  melting  o*f  ice.  The  air  in  the  ice  com- 
partment becomes  chilled  and  passes  downward  to 
the  compartment  below,  its  place  being  taken  by 
warm  air  from  the  adjoining  food  compartment. 
This  process  takes  place  in  any  refrigerator,  but  it 
can  be  greatly  improved  by  a  type  of  construction 
designed  to  accelerate  and  direct  the  air  currents. 
Certain  types  produce  such  perfect  circulation  that 
the  air  is  not  only  chilled  but  freed  from  moisture 
in  passing  from  one  compartment  to  another.  A 


120 


THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 


dry,  cold  air  is  the  ideal  condition  for  preserving 
food.  Fig.  22  shows  the  natural  passage  of  air 
currents  in  a  refrigerator.  This  natural  action  is 


FIG.  22. —  Sketch  showing  movement  of  air  currents  in  a  re- 
frigerator. The  compartment  directly  below  ice  chamber  is 
the  coolest;  the  air  here  has  been  purified  by  passing  over 
the  ice. 


(Reprinted  by  courtesy  of  the  House  furnishing  Review.) 

facilitated  in  some  refrigerators  by  the  use  of  in- 
numerable syphons  in  the  wall  between  the  ice  com- 
partment and  adjoining  food  compartment. 

Third  essential.  To  insure  the  maximum  effi- 
ciency, the  refrigerator  must  be  kept  well  filled  with 
ice.  Therefore  a  refrigerator  with  large  ice  capacity 
results  in  a  heavy  ice-bill,  whether  it  is  used  for  a 
large  or  a  small  family.  This  ice  consumption  can- 
not wisely  be  checked  by  wrapping  the  ice  in  paper 
or  heavy  cloth,  as  this  defeats  the  fundamental  prin- 
ciple of  refrigeration.  The  only  way  to  run  the  re- 
frigerator economically  is  to  keep  it  full  of  ice.  If 
the  air  in  the  ice  chamber  is  kept  at  the  lowest  pos- 


SELECTING  THE  EQUIPMENT       121 

sible  temperature,  it  will  maintain  its  level  of  40°  in 
the  other  compartments  and  there  will  be  no  warm 
air  to  melt  the  ice.  If,  however,  the  ice  supply 
gets  greatly  reduced,  the  temperature  in  the  food 


FIG.  23. —  This  type  of  refrigerator  permits  the  best  circula- 
tion of  air  and  affords  the  best  storage  facilities.  Dimen- 
sions: width  33  inches,  depth  19^  inches,  height  48^2 
inches;  ice  capacity  75  pounds. 

compartments  will  rise  and  the  melting  will  be  more 
rapid  than  if  a  low  temperature  throughout  had 
been  maintained. 

The  best  policy  therefore  is  to  select  a  refriger- 
ator of  such  a  size  that  you  can  afford  to  keep  it 
full  of  ice. 

For  the  average  family  who  must  consider  care- 
fully the  cost  of  ice  and  secure  the  maximum  effi- 
ciency for  the  least  daily  outlay,  a  refrigerator  of 


122 


THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 


65  Ibs.  ice  capacity  will  give  good  results.  In  order 
to  insure  perfect  circulation  of  air,  choose  the  type 
having  the  ice  chamber  on  one  side  (see  Fig.  23), 
one  food  chamber  below  it,  and  two  food  chambers 


FIG.   24. —  Type   of   refrigerator   needed    in   kitchenettes    and 
apartment  houses. 

on  the  other  side.  In  small  kitchens  and  apart- 
ments it  is  often  necessary,  for  economy  of  space, 
to  get  the  type  that  has  the  ice  chamber  above  and 
one  food  compartment  below.  (See  Fig.  24.)  A 
refrigerator  of  this  type,  about  twenty -five  inches 
wide  and  a  little  over  four  feet  high,  of  a  reliable 
make  and  zinc  lined,  costs  about  $17.00.  The 
same  type  \vith  porcelain-enamel  lining,  will  be  at 
least  ten  dollars  more.  The  double  type,  which 
gives  the  best  circulation  and  larger  storage  facili- 
ties, in  the  porcelain  enamel  lining  will  cost  about 


SELECTING  THE  EQUIPMENT       123 

$56.00.  Five  dollars  additional  must  be  allowed 
if  you  want  to  have  the  rear  or  end  outside  icing 
door.  This  is  a  great  convenience,  as  it  makes  it 
unnecessary  for  the  ice-man  to  come  into  the  kitchen 
to  deliver  the  ice.  It  also  enables  one  to  use  the 
refrigerator  six  months  of  the  year  without  ice,  the 
cold  air  from  the  outside  producing  the  refrigera- 
tion. 

The  improper  location  of  the  refrigerator  causes 
more  wasted  effort  than  any  other  defect  of  the 
kitchen  arrangement.  Tradition  says  the  refriger- 
ator must  not  be  in  the  kitchen,  but  in  some  cooler 
place.  In  these  days,  however,  tradition  is  giving 
way  to  the  necessity  of  conserving  human  energy. 
Moreover,  several  new  factors  are  affecting  the  sit- 
uation, the  most  important  of  which  is  the  great 
improvement  in  the  construction  of  refrigerators 
with  perfect  insulation.  The  temperature  within  is 
not  affected  by  outside  conditions,  unless  through 
carelessness  the  refrigerator  door  is  left  open.  This 
is  well  illustrated  in  the  tiny  kitchenettes  of  the 
Pullman  system,  where  the  refrigerators  are  placed 
within  a  few  feet  of  the  kitchen  range. 

The  best  grades  of  refrigerators  are  made  with 
rear  or  end  doors  to  allow  icing  from  the  outside. 
Not  only  does  this  save  the  kitchen  from  the  track- 
ing in  of  dirt  by  the  ice-man  but  it  makes  the  re- 
frigerator available  six  months  of  the  year  without 
ice.  Where  the  circulation  system  is  good,  the 
air  keeps  as  sweet  and  fresh  without  ice  in  cold 


124          THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

weather  as  when 'ice  is  used.  It  is  necessary  to 
protect  the  opening  outside  with  a  fine  screen  to 
keep  out  the  dust. 

Another  very  desirable  convenience  is  an  ar- 
rangement for  cooling  the  drinking  water.  A  coil 
of  block  tin  pipe  is  placed  in  the  bottom  of  the  ice 
chamber,  having  one  end  connected  with  the  city 
water  supply  and  terminating  at  the  other  end  in 
a  faucet.  The  water  is  thus  kept  ice-cold  without 
the  disadvantage  of  having  the  ice  melted  in  it. 
The  cost  of  this  installation  is  from  $14.00  to 
$25.00,  depending  on  the  size  of  the  refrigerator. 

The  drain  pipe  of  the  refrigerator  should  be 
connected  with  a  separate  pipe,  emptying  into  a 
dry  well  in  the  grounds.  It  should  never  be  con- 
nected with  the  sewer  pipe.  Where  it  is  not  pos- 
sible to  make  a  separate  pipe  connection,  an  in- 
genious little  device  can  be  made  under  the 
refrigerator  to  insure  the  drip  pan  always  remain- 
ing in  the  right  location  under  the  outlet.  Mark 
on  the  floor  the  right  location  of  the  pan  and  then 
tack  two  strips  to  the  floor  on  either  side  of  the 
pan.  When  the  pan  is  pushed  in  and  out  it  will 
always  be  under  the  outlet  and  the  floor  will  never 
get  wet  from  the  overflow. 

Every  manufacturer  or  salesman  of  high-grade 
refrigerators  should  be  able  to  guarantee  the  fol- 
lowing requirements : 

i.  That  a  low  and  uniform  temperature  can  be 
maintained,  preferably  40  to  42  degrees  F. 


SELECTING  THE  EQUIPMENT       125 

2.  Perfect   circulation,   producing   a   pure   atmos- 
phere, freedom  from  odors  and  freedom  from 
moisture. 

3.  Ease  in  keeping  every  part  in  absolutely  sani- 
tary condition,  insured  by  seamless  porcelain- 
enamel  lining  or  nickel. 

4.  Perfect   drainage. 

5.  Economy  in  the  consumption  of  ice. 

To   run   the   refrigerator   economically   the    fol- 
lowing points  should  be  borne  in  mind: 

1.  Food  should  be  cooled  before  putting  on  ice. 
A  screened  shelf  or  closet  above  refrigerator, 
makes  a  good  temporary  place  for  hot  foods, 
while  cooling. 

2.  Keep  the  ice  chamber  full  of  ice. 

3.  Every  time  the  box  is  filled,  take  out  the  piece 

of  ice  remaining,  wipe  out  compartment  with 
a  clean  cloth  wet  in  hot  soapy  water.  Wipe 
off  box.  Have  the  new  supply  in  one  block 
of  ice  as  large  as  the  box  will  carry. 

4.  The  ice  chamber  should  not  be  used  for  food. 

5.  Examine    contents   of    refrigerator   daily   and 
dispose  of  anything  not  likely  to  be  used  in  a 
day  or  two. 

6.  Be  careful  to  wipe  up  at  once  anything  that  is 

spilled  in  food  compartment. 

7.  Butter,   milk   and   eggs,   which   readily   absorb 

odors,  should  be  placed  in  the  compartment 
directly  below  ice  chamber.  This  compart- 
ment, besides  receiving  air  purified  from 


126          THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

passage  over  the  ice,  is  also  the  coolest  com- 
partment. Cantaloupes,  onions  or  other  sup- 
plies giving  off  odors  can  be  placed  in  the  other 
compartments  without  contaminating  the  milk. 
This  is  true  of  refrigerators  having  proper 
circulation  and  of  the  double  type.  In  cheap 
refrigerators  strong  food  should  not  be  kept 
at  all. 


IX 

LISTS  OF  NECESSARY  EQUIPMENT 

ANY  one  who  has  seen  the  beautiful  kitchen 
in  Washington's  home  at  Mount  Vernon 
must  have  been  impressed  by  the  great 
change  that  has  come  to  the  home  in  the  last  hun- 
dred years  in  the  matter  of  cooking  utensils.  The 
heavy  polished  copper  vessels  suggested  a  great 
hotel  rather  than  a  home ;  yet  they  were  the  kind 
and  shape  that  were  then  in  common  use.  In  sim- 
pler homes  they  were  made  of  iron  instead  of  cop- 
per, because  of  the  saving  in  expense.  To-day  we 
have  the  light,  attractive  aluminum  and  agate  ware, 
and  block  tin  where  aluminum  cannot  be  afforded. 
The  size  of  utensils  is  greatly  reduced,  the  variety 
and  number  greatly  multiplied. 

In  Colonial  days  the  outfit  was  suited  to  large 
families  and  many  servants.  Fireplace  cooking 
was  the  rule  until  the  first  very  primitive  coal 
stove  was  invented.  Now  we  have  far  rriore  com- 
plex and  perfect  stoves,  of  many  types  and  varie- 
ties, finally  reaching  the  most  complex  of  all,  the 
electrical  apparatus.  Hired  service  in  the  majority 
of  homes  is  reduced  to  one  person,  and  time  has 
become  a  vital  consideration.  Under  'these  new 

127 


128          THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

conditions  rapid  and  skilful  work  and  labor-saving 
equipment  are  the  chief  necessities.  So  inventions 
are  being  constantly  brought  out  to  save  loss  of 
time,  energy  and  fuel.  The  idea  of  conservation 
was  first  brought  into  prominence  by  the  manufac- 
ture of  the  fireless  cooker.  This  is  an  adaptation 
of  the  old  Norwegian  hay  box.  The  idea  of  con- 
servation of  time,  of  energy  and  fuel,  of  all  costly 
commodities,  is  now  the  keynote  of  perfect  kitchen 
equipment. 

There  are  two  chief  things  to  remember  in  de- 
ciding upon  our  equipment.  The  first  is  to  keep 
the  equipment  as  simple  as  possible  and  not  to  get 
anything  that  we  do  not  really  need.  The  second 
seems  the  opposite  of  this.  Namely,  to  make  our 
equipment  save  our  time  and  have  it  ample  enough 
so  that  no  time  is  wasted  through  lack  of  efficient 
tools.  Families  differ  very  much  in  the  scale  and 
manner  of  living.  Therefore  any  list  that  will 
meet  the  average  need  inevitably  includes  many 
things  that  are  necessary  to  some  housekeepers  and 
superfluous  to  others.  The  lists  given  therefore 
are  intended  to  be  suggestive,  and  not  to  give  hard 
and  fast  rules.  They  are  so  grouped  that  it  will 
be  easy  to  omit  the  equipment  that  is  not  needed 
in  a  given  case.  If,  for  instance,  bread  is  bought 
at  the  bakery,  all  the  bread-making  outfit  may  be 
omitted.  The  same  if  pie-making,  cake-making 
or  any  sort  of  fancy  cooking  is  cut  off  the  list.  So 
many  of  these  things  are  now  being  made  very  sat- 


LISTS  OF  NECESSARY  EQUIPMENT      129 

isfactorily  outside  the  home,  that  it  is  often  better 
policy  to  buy  than  to  make  them. 

The  prices  given  for  equipment  also  cannot  be 
completely  accurate,  as  they  vary  somewhat  in  dif- 
ferent parts  of  the  country  and  there  are  many 
grades  and  makes  of  certain  articles.  We  have 
therefore  included  in  one  list  an  outfit  which  may 


FIG.    25. —  Standard    measur-     FIG.      26. —  Accurate     house- 
ing  cup  used  in  all  recipes.         hold  scales  should  be  found 

in   every  kitchen. 

be  purchased  for  the  minimum  price,  in  the  other 
the  outfit  which  we  recommend  where  economy 
does  not  have  to  be  considered.  We  advise  every 
housekeeper  to  have  the  full  list  of  labor-saving 
equipment  of  a  good  grade  bought  of  a  reliable 
firm.  The  housekeeper  of  small  income  needs  this 
even  more  than  the  one  with  ample  means. 
Where  the  amount  of  money  that  can  be  spent 
on  equipment  is  limited,  we  advise  buying  most 
of  the  smaller  things  at  the  5  and  10.  cent 
stores,  reserving  enough  money  to  buy  the  best 
grade  of  expensive  articles.  A  well  insulated  fire- 
less  cooker  with  aluminum  utensils  ought  to  last  a 


1 30          THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

life  time,  a  wheel-cart  will  pay  for  itself  in  a  short 
time  in  the  energy  it  saves.  In  some  homes  a  good 
mayonnaise  mixer  may  be  more  important  than  any- 
thing else  on  the  list,  and  so  it  goes.  ^rhenever 
any  household  task  seems  a  burden,  look  about  and 
see  if  there  is  not  some  article  on  the  market  that 
will  reduce  the  labor  or  make  the  work  more  per- 
fect. Even  poorly  cut  bread  may  be  a  cause  of 
daily  friction.  How  much  easier  to  purchase  a 


FIG.  27. —  Represents  one  type  of  oven  thermometer.     Costs 
from  $1.50  to  $6.00  depending  on  range  and  accuracy. 

bread  slicer  for  75  cents  than  to  daily  chide  a  care- 
less maid. 

Remember  that  labor-saving  equipment  is  dispo- 
sition-saving as  well,  and  try  to  so  equip  your 
kitchen  that  accurate,  skilful  work  can  be  done 
with  the  minimum  strain  and  wreariness.  Too 
much  cannot  be  said  in  favor  of  equipment  pro- 
moting accuracy  in  measurement.  Insist  upon 
careful  measurements  in  all  recipes.  (The  stand- 
ard measuring  cup  for  all  recipes  is  illustrated  in 
Fig.  25.)  Have  weighing  scales  (see  Fig.  26)  and 
cultivate  the  habit  of  using  them.  Weigh  the  flour 
used  in  bread-making,  the  ingredients  of  cakes  and 
puddings.  Learn  to  use  an  oven  thermometer  (see 
Fig.  27),  keeping  careful  record  on  the  receipt  cards 
of  cooking  temperatures  required  for  different 
foods. 


LISTS  OF  NECESSARY  EQUIPMENT      131 


SIMPLEST    AND    LEAST    EXPENSIVE    EQUIPMENT 
FOR  A  FAMILY  OF  FIVE 

Articles  to  group  near  stove  : 

Tea-kettle  .......................................  $  .50,* 

Salt  box    ...................  .  ....................  io*\ 

Pepper  shaker    ...................................  05  f 

'Flour  dredger  .........  .  ..........................  05) 

Pot  covers,  three  .................................  30"] 

Large  cast  iron  frying  pan  ........................  60  ; 

Small  wrought  iron  frying  pan  .  .  .•  .................  25 

Match   box    ............  ...........................  loX 

Box   for  burnt  matches    ..........................  05 

Stove    cloths    ....................................  10 

Dripping  pans,  two    ..............................  40  i 

Griddle    .........................................  60  \ 

$3.10 
Sink  outfit  : 

Scrubbing    pail    .................................  $  .20 

Scrubbing    brush     ................................  15 

Sink   shovel    .  ....................................  10 

Sink    strainer    ................................  .  .     .10 

Sink  brush    ......................  ____  ............  05 

Soap  dish    .......................................  10 

Dish  mop    .......................................  10 

Soap  shaker   .....................................  18 

Glass  holder   .....................................  05 

Plate  scraper  ....................................  10 

\Dish    pan    .......................................  50 

Agate  hand  basin   ................................  20 

Wire  dish  mop  .........  .  ......................  .  .10 

\Dish    drainer    ....................................  30 

Bottle  cleaning  brush    ............................  25 

Funnel  ..........  r  ................................  05 


$2.53 

Articles  to  group  near  sink- 
Stew  pans,   i   i-qt.,  I  2-qt.,  I  3-qt.,  I  4-qt $1.00 

Large  8-qt.   agate  preserving  kettle    1.35 


132          THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

Pitchers,   i  2-qt,   i    i^-qt,   i    i-qt,  3  small  ones 1.25 

Tea-pot    15 

Tea    canister 10 

Coffee  pot,  or  stew-pan  specially  reserved  for  coffee 

making    25 

Coffee   canister    10 

2   strainers    .' t 40 

Double  boiler   75 

Colander    25 

2  meas.  cups 10 


$5-7° 


Work  table,  36-inch  with  one  drawer  ..............  $2.50 

Stool  or  chair  ....................................  50 

Pastry    board    ...................................  30 

f  \3-30 

Cooking  dishes  to  group  near  work  table  : 

2  meas.  cups  (duplicate  set)"  .....................  $  .20 

2  small  white  bowls  ..............................  22 

2  larger   bowls    ..................................  40 

Wooden  spoons    (2)    ..................  .  ..........  10 

Perforated  cake  spoon    ...........................  10 

Tin   sugar   box    ..................................  10 

Tin  flour  box  ....................................  10 

Wire  egg  whip   ..................................  10 

Crank  egg  beater   ................................  25 

Grater    ..........................................  10 

Potato    masher    ..................................  10 

Biscuit  cutters,  2  sizes   ...........................  10 

Pie  tins    (2)    ....................................  12 

Layer  cake  tins    (3)    .............................  30 

Gem  pans,  2  of  12  holes  each  ...................  .     .20 

Bread  pans    (3)    .................................  60 

Lemon   squeezer    .................................  05 

Rolling    pin    .....................................  25 

Chopping  bowl  and  knife  .........................  45 

$3-84 


LISTS  OF  NECESSARY  EQUIPMENT      133 

Knife  box  outfit  to  go  in  cutlery  drawer  of  table : 

Knife  box   $  .10 

Can  opener 10 

Cork  screw 10 

3  kitchen   forks    30 

3  kitchen    knives    30 

1  doz.  aluminum  teaspoons 60 

6  table-spoons    60 

Cake  turner    05 

Apple-corer 05 

Vegetable  knife 15 

Knife   sharpener    25 

$2.60 
Dishes  to  put  food  away  in: 

3  small  agate  dishes $  .30 

4  larger  agate  dishes  ranging  from  I  qt.  capacity  to 

3  qts 60 

2  kitchen  platters   -. -.-- 40 

i  doz.  kitchen  plates   50 

Empty  lard  pails  for  grease,  etc. 

$1.80 
Containers  for  cooked  food  and  supplies : 

Bread  bo^x  with  knife  and  board .$  .80 

Cake   box    25 

Cracker    box    10 

Butter  jar 10 

I  doz.  pint  jars .75 

i  doz.  quart  jars 80 

$2.80 
Miscellaneous : 

Clock    $1.00 

Scissors    25 

Ice  pick 10 

Garbage    can    50 

Coffee  mill    35 

Scales,  24  Ibs 1.25 

$345 


134          THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

Cleaning  outfit : 

Floor   mop    $  -35 

Broom    5° 

Whisk    broom    25 

Dust    pan    10 

Large  scrubbing  brush    25 

Small  scrubbing  brush 20 

2  broom  covers  made  of  canton  flannel 20 

2  cheese  cloth  dusters   10 

Cleaning  cloths  made  from  old  linen  or  3  yds  muslin     .30 
Floor  cloths  (2),  use  old  shirts  or  buy  2  yds.  outing 

flannel    12 

Crash  oven-cloths  or  holders  .  .10 


$2.47 

Kitchen  linen  outfit : 

Dish  towels,  12  at  10  cents  each,  made  of  cotton  tow- 
eling at  10  cents  a  yd.,  or  buy  i  doz.  empty  100 

Ib.  flour  sacks  at  30  cents $1.20 

i  doz.  linen  towels 1.20 

4  dish  cloths,  made  of  loose  unbleached  muslin 20 

4  roller  towels,  2  yds.  long,  cheapest  grade 80 

Better  grade  advisable  cost  $1.60. 
Heavy  cloth  bag  for  paper 15 


$3-55 

Chest  refrigerator  to  hold  about  70  Ibs.  ice   $13.00 

Fireless  cooker,   i   8-qt.  and  one  4-qt.  well,  terne- 

plate  lining  vent  valve 14.25 

Wheel  cart   5.50 

$3275 

The  following  conveniences  may  be  added  to  a 
kitchen  outfit  without  expense. 

Useful  molds  for  steaming  brown-bread  and  pud- 
dings. 


LISTS  OF  NECESSARY  EQUIPMENT      135 

3   one-lb.   empty  baking  powder  tins,   and  i    or  2 

pound  coffee  cans. 

3  and  5~lb.  lard  pails  make  splendid  containers  for 
dried  bread  crumbs,  grease,  etc. 

Tin  boxes  with  hinged  covers-  are  useful  for 
cleaning  preparations,  and  lunch  boxes. 

Good  sized  empty  cracker  boxes  may  be  pur- 
chased for  ten  cents  apiece,  and  make  excellent 
containers  for  cake  and  crackers. 

Newspapers,  brown  paper,  paper  bags,  wrapping 
paper  twine,  and  oiled  paper  have  many  uses  in  the 
kitchen  and  should  all  be  saved. 

Salt  and  flour  bags,  ripped  and  washed,  make 
good  dish  cloths,  and  lettuce  bags.  Narrow  strips 
of  white  muslin  stitched  together  end  for  end,  make 
convenient  bands  to  wrap  around  the  edge  of  berry 
pies  to  prevent  juice  from  overflowing. 

Glass  bacon  jars  may  have  covers  preserved  by 
inserting  edge  of  knife  under  cover  to  let  air  in. 
The  cover  can  then  be  removed  easily.  These  jars 
are  useful  to  hold  mayonnaise,  white  of  egg,  sour 
cream,  etc.  They  also  make  excellent  jelly  and 
conserve  glasses. 

The  total  cost  of  least  expensive '  outfit  where 
stove,  sink  and  hot-water  heating  systems  are  fur- 
nished by  the  landlord  is  therefore  seen  to  be 
$35.14  for  necessities  (groups  i  to  n)  and  $32.75 
for  articles  like  the  ice-chest,  fireless  cooker,  etc., 
which  some  housekeepers  do  not  consider  neces- 
sities, a  total  of  $67.89. 


136          THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

Least  Expensive  Equipment  where  stove,  sink 
and  hot-water  heating  apparatus  must  be  included 
in  cost. 

Least  expensive  gas  stove   $    7.00 

Hot  water  heating  system  —  small  laundry  heater 
in  basement  to  heat  water  supply  and  furnish 
heat  to  kitchen,  see  method  described  on  pages 

74-75     3I-50 

Sink,  moderate-priced  white  enamel,  installed....  16.00 

Equipment,  Groups  I  to  n  inclusive 35. 14 

Refrigerator,  fireless  cooker,  etc.,  Group  12 32-75 


$122.39 

We  recommend  buying  this  least  expensive  type 
of  gas  stove  where  economy  must  be  considered, 
and  for  the  same  reason  recommend  the  laundry- 
stove  equipment,  although  the  first  cost  of  the  latter 
is  more  than  the  cheapest  form  of  gas  heater. 
This  is  because  the  laundry  stove  may  be  utilized 
to  heat  the  kitchen,  because  it  enables  one  to  do 
supplementary  cooking  in  the  cellar  and  because  it 
keeps  not  only  the  cellar  dry  in  summer,  but  indi- 
rectly keeps  the  whole  house  free  from  dampness. 
It  may  be  operated  at  a  cost  of  from  75  cents  to 
$1.50  a  month.  This  equipment  is  right  in  all  its 
essentials,  and  includes  two  of  the  most  important 
labor-savers.  It  may  be  added  to  as  time  goes  on. 
The  inexpensive  gas  stove  may  be  replaced  by  a 
better  one  and  the  one  replaced  may  be  then  used 
for  a  warming  closet  for  dishes. 

Where  a  kerosene  or  alcohol  stove  is  used  in- 
stead of  gas,  the  equipment  recommended  would 


LISTS  OF  NECESSARY  EQUIPMENT      137 

be  the  same.  Simply  add  the  difference  between 
the  cost  of  stove  in  each  case.  It  will  be  approxi- 
mately $7.00  more  than  the  gas  stove. 

Where  a  coal  range  is  to  be  used  instead  the 
equipment  will  differ  in  two  other  essentials,  as  may 
be  seen  from  the  following  estimate : 

Inexpensive  coal  range  and  outfit   $  22.65 

Water  back,  30  gallon  galvanized  iron  boiler  and 

installation     20.00 

Sink,  moderate-priced  white  enamel,  installed  ....      16.00 

Equipment,  Groups  I  to  u  inclusive 35-M 

Refrigerator  chest,  etc   32-75 

$126.54 
SUMMARY 

It  will  be  seen  from  figures  given  that  a  kitch'en 
already  equipped  with  a  stove,  sink  and  hot-water 
heating  system  may  be  fitted  out  with  necessities 
for  $35.14,  and  with  a  moderate-priced  refrigera- 
tor, fireless  cooker  and  wheel  cart,  for  $32.75  addi- 
tional, a  total  of  $67.89. 

It  will  further  be  seen  that  it  will  cost  from  $55.00 
to  $65.00  (see  pages  86-87)  more  than  this  to  add  a 
stove,  sink  and  hot-water  heating  system.  House- 
keepers who  have  not  studied  the  question  of  kitchen 
equipment  in  all  its  bearings  may  think  that  even 
this  amount  is  excessive.  It  is  true  thousands  of 
women  get  along  with  much  less  equipment  than 
this,  but  we  are  introducing  a  new  requirement  in 
our  standard  when  we  insist  on  the  efficiency  of 
the  worker.  To  enable  women  to  meet  this  new 
requirement  we  must  have  better  sink  arrange- 


138          THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

merits  and  ample  hot  water  for  kitchen  use  as  well 
as  good  equipment.  With  the  equipment  as  given 
here  the  kitchen  is  fitted  out  to  meet  the  average 
needs  of  a  family  of  five,  and  with  an  additional 
laundry  equipment,  costing  $15.00,  to  do  the  laun- 
dry wrork  also. 

LIBERAL  EQUIPMENT  FOR  FAMILY  OF  FIVE 
We  shall  now  consider  the  cost  of  equipping  a 
kitchen  where  the  home-maker  is  not  limited  in  ex- 
penditure, and  where  she  may  choose  the  equip- 
ment that  is  attractive  in  appearance  as  well  as 
serviceable  in  the  long  run.  This  list  includes 
many  articles  that  save  labor  and  time,  and  which 
wiM.  therefore  prove  an  economy  in  operating  ex- 
pense. The  equipment  is  the  one  in  use  at  the 
Housekeeping  Experiment  Station,  and  is  there- 
fore thoroughly  tested  and  does  not  contain  any 
superfluous  items. 

Articles  grouped  near  stove : 

i  patent  gas  lighter   $  .25 

3  handi-hook  pot  covers,  9",  ql/2"  and  10" 66 

I  8-inch  cast  iron  frying  pan 75 

1  5-inch  aluminum  frying  pan   75 

2  dripping  pans  9^  by  14 40 

2  stove   cloths    10 

Aluminum  griddle,  7*4  inch,  for  table  use 60 

Waffle    iron    i.oo 

Best  make  of  cake  turner    -.25 

$4.76 
Cleaning  outfit,  grouped  near  sink : 

Ammonia,  sal  soda  solution,  etc. 

Scouring  soap. 

Corn-meal  and  glycerine  and  alcohol  lotion  for  hands. 


LISTS  OF  NECESSARY  EQUIPMENT      139 

Grouped  near  sink : 

Wooden  rack  or  rubber  mat  to  protect  sink $  .75 

Dish  drainer  and  pan  —  20  inches  square   1.50 

Dish  pan,  oval  19  inches  long 7^ 

i  agate  hand  basin,  suspended  at  right  of  sink 20 

1  agate   soap   dish    15 

Agate  sink  strainer   25 

Soap  shaker   18 

Dish  mop. 05 

Wire  dish  mop    25 

2  vegetable  brushes  with  handle,  screw  eye  fastened 

in  each  handle 25 

-i  milk  bottle  brush    25 

Aluminum  funnel    .10 

Heart  scraper  for  agate  and  iron  pots  and  pans. ...     .10 

Rubber   plate   scraper    10 

i  crank  egg  beater 18 

3  ft.  inch,  rubber  tubing,  to  fill  steamer 30 

small  agate  stew-pan,  capacity  il/±  cups .15 

small  aluminum  stew-pan,  capacity  i  pt 15 

2-qt.   aluminum   shallow  stew-pan    80 

3-qt.   aluminum  shallow  stew-pan    90 

4-qt.   aluminum   shallow  stew-pan    1.15 

5-qt.   aluminum  shallow  stew-pan    1.25 


$9.76 
Usually  grouped  on  shelf  above  sink: 

Pitchers  i  2-qt.,  i   i>^-qt.,  i   i-qt,  3  small  ones $1.25 

3  meas.   cups    15 

Coffee  percolator  2  or  3  pt.  size 3.2^5 

Coffee  canister  (part  of  stove  outfit) 

Tea  pot   25 

Tea  canister   (part  of  stove  outfit) 

2  strainers,  15  and  25  cents,  total 40 

Steamer,  special  type  for  vegetables  and  cereal 1.19 

Steamer,  special  type  of  larger  size  2.39 


•    $8.88 

Articles  to  put  food  away  in  (also  serve  as  bak- 
ing dishes)  : 


i4o          THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN  ' 

3  small  agate  dishes,  capacity  il/2  pts $  .30 

2  agate  dishes,  capacity  il/2  qts 30 

3  agate  dishes,  capacity  2  qts 75 

5  qt.  agate  Berlin  kettle 50 

5  agate  ware  kitchen  plates 75 

4  small  oval  dishes  at  .10 40 

$3.00 
Built-in,  open-shelf  kitchen  cabinet  and  equipment, 

or  manufactured  one  selling  at $27-5° 

Cutlery  drawer  and  contents: 

Knife    box    $.25 

2  spec,  make  veg.  knives   50 

2  wooden    spoons    20 

I  spatula    25 

i  chemists'    spatula 20 

i  cork    screw    25 

i  can  opener   25 

3  kitchen  forks  at  20  cents 60 

3  kitchen  knives    60 

6  German  silver  table-spoons   1.50 

i— doz.  teaspoons    i.oo 

1  perforated  cake  spoon 10 

-i  egg   whip    10 

Apple   corer    10 

Carving  knife    75 

Sharpening  steel   25 

$6.90 

Small  articles  hanging  from  shelves: 

Set  aluminum  measuring  spoons   $  .25 

Crank  egg  beater   18 

2  meas.   cups    .20 

Assorted  biscuit  and  doughnut  cutters 40 

i  grater    25 

i  rack  for  baking  potatoes 10 

i  nutmeg  grater    05 

Grease  brush   15 

$7^8 


LISTS'  OF  NECESSARY  EQUIPMENT      141 

Cooking  dishes  group  near  cabinet: 

4  small  white-bowls  ...............  ...............  $  44 

2  large  yellow  mixing  bowls  ......  .................  40 

Bread   mixer    ...................................   i-75 

Scales    .........................................    1.25 

Qt.  can  liquid  shortening   .........................  39 

Gake  mixer    ....................................    1.50 

3  layer  cake  tins,  patent  kind  .....................  30 

i  round  cake  tin  with  funnel   .....................  35 

2^4nttffifl-4ms  —  12  holes  each  at  20  cents  each  .......  40 

i  loaf  tin    .......................................  25 

Pastry  board    ....................................  30 

Magic  cover  when  rolling  out  pastry  ...............  65 

Rolling-pin    .....................................  25 

3  pie  plates,  9  in.  diam  ...........................  30 

3  pie  plates,  shallow  9^/2    .........................  30 

10 


$8.93 
Salad  outfit  : 

Salad  basket  containing 
Garlic  coves,  paprika. 
Salt  and  pepper  shakers. 
Small  bottle  tarragon  vinegar. 
Cost  of  outfitting   ...........................  $1.00 

Miscellaneous  : 

Coffee  mill    ....................................  $     .75 

Porcelain  salt  box    ..............................  25 

Clock,  octagonal  8-day  ..........................     3.00 

Scrap   basket    .....  ..............................  60 

Scissors    ........................................  25 

Kitchen  stool   ..................................     1.50 

1  meat  saw,  14-inch  .............................  75 

Vegetable   slicer    ................................  75 

Thermometer,  chemists'  tested  thermometer  .......     6.00 

2  Russia  iron  biscuit  sheets,  17  inches  square  ......     2.00 

Puree    strainer    ................................     2.00 

i   strawberry  huller  ..............................  10 

Iron  kettle  for  deep  fat  frying  ...................  75 

Frying  basket  with  handle  .......................  45 

$19.15 


142          THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

Special  place  provided  for: 

2  shelf  steamer   $4.50 

Meat    grinder    1.25 

Chopping  bowl  and  knife       45 

Egg   poacher    60 

Large  tea-pot  for  company  use 50 

2  small  crocks  for  eggs,  etc.,  at  20  cents  each 40 

2  small  jelly  moulds  at  15  cents  each 30 

$8.00 

Ice   cream    freezer,   2-qt $1-85 

Ice    pick    30 

Ice  mallet   30 

Canvas  bag  for  cracking  ice 15 


$2.60 
Refrigerator,    best    make    porcelain    enamel    lined, 

rear  or  end  icing  door,  ice  capacity  125  Ibs $54-OO 

Kitchen  linen  outfit: 

i  doz.  kitchen  towels,  loose  mesh  crash $1.20 

i  doz.  linen  tea-towels   2.40 

6  dish   cloths    25 

1  roll  of  paper  toweling,  put  up  near  sink 1.50 

2  lettuce  bags  of  cheese  cloth 20 

i   doz.   hemmed  cheese  cloth   squares   for  straining 

jelly  and  fat 25 


$5.80 
Kitchen  cleaning  outfit : 

i  self-wringing  mop    $i-5O 

1  broom,  dust-pan  and  brush   i.oo 

2  outing  flannel  floor  cloths   20 

i  flannel    stove-cloth  —  old    underwear    or    of    new 

material    10 

Y-Z   doz.   old  soft  cloths   for  cleaning,   hemmed  and 

marked    25 


$3-05 
The  total  cost  of  a  liberal  outfit  for  kitchen  where 


LISTS  OF  NECESSARY  EQUIPMENT      143 

stove,  sink  and  hot  water  heating  systems  are  fur- 
nished by  the  landlord  is  therefore  seen  to  be 
$163.91.  (Groups  i  to  15  inclusive.)  Where  the 
cost  of  stove,  sink  and  hot  water  heating  systems 
must  also  be  included  in  the  estimate  and  the  kitchen 
must  be  heated  by  an  extra  radiator  from  the  fur- 
nace they  will  cost  as  follows : 

Stove  and  fireless  cooker,  best  make  of  each,  com- 
bined or  separate   $  64.00 

Hot  water  radiator  and  grill 18.00 

Hot  water  heating  system  with  jacket  to  boiler. . .  31.50 
Sink,   wall-type   white   enameled   with   one   drain- 
board    37-5° 

Equipment,  groups  i  to  15  inclusive  163.91 

$314.91 

SUMMARY 

Cost  of  furnishing  a  rented  kitchen,  where  stove, 
sink,  etc.,  are  furnished  by  landlord : 

Least  expensive  outfit  —  see  page  137,  from  $35.14 

to    $  67.89 

Liberal  outfit    163.91 

Cost  of  furnishing  kitchen  where  stove,  sink,  etc., 
must  also  be  included  in  estimate : 

Least  expensive  outfit,  see  page  137 $126.54 

Liberal  outfit    3M-91 

OUTFIT  FOR  FAMILY  OF  TWO 

The  great  difference  in  selecting  equipment  for 
a  family  of  two  instead  of  for  a  family  of  five  or 
six  is  found  to  be  in  the  choice  of  smaller  sizes  of 
stew-pans,  baking-dishes,  coffee  percolator,  tea-pot, 


144          THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

etc.  If  a  family  of  two  expect  to  keep  up  the  vari- 
ety and  standard  of  living  of  a  larger  family  and 
to  entertain  frequently,  very  much  the  same  outfit 
should  be  purchased  as  for  the  larger  family,  sub- 
stituting1 a  small  size  of  these  special  dishes  for  the 
larger  size  given  on  the  list.  It  is  possible,  how- 
ever, for  young  people  to  get  along,  in  great  com- 
fort with  the  "  light  housekeeping  equipment  "  and 
postpone  for  some  time  the  more  serious  responsi- 
bility of  keeping  house.  It  is  almost  play  with 
the  right  equipment  and  carefully  chosen  menus 
to  set  a  table  for  two  people,  whereas  a  more 
formal  living  is  nearly  as  much  work  for  two  as  it 
is  for  six  or  ten.  We  therefore  refer  young  house- 
keepers to  the  chapter  on  "  Light  Housekeeping," 
and  advise  them  to  begin  with  this  outfit,  adding 
to  it  the  other  things  later  on. 


X 

TIME  AND  LABOR-SAVING  EQUIPMENT 

THE  fireless  cooker  should  be  named  first 
among  the  modern  inventions  calculated 
to  economize  the  time  and  energy  of  the 
home-maker.  While  it  has  been  heralded  chiefly 
as  a  fuel-saver,  its  possibilities  are  even  greater  in  the 
direction  of  conservation  of  woman's  labor.  This 
type  of  cooking  is,  indeed,  the  most  satisfactory, 
economical,  efficient  method  of  cooking  known.  It 
is  amazing  that  there  should  be  so  little  accurate 
information  on  the  subject,  and  that  so  few  accurate 
recipes  should  have  been  given  out.  No  thoroughly 
satisfactory  book  on  fireless  cooking  has  yet  been 
published.  The  housekeeper  is  advised  to  select 
the  best  make  of  fireless  cook  stove  that  she  can  get, 
and  devote  as  much  time  as  she  can  to  the  study 
of  its  possibilities. 

Most  housekeepers  are  now  aware  that  fireless 
cooking  is  based  on  the  principle  of  utilizing  con- 
served heat.  The  viands  to  be  prepared,  ragouts, 
for  instance,  or  casserole  dishes,  are  brought  to  the 
boiling  point  on  the  gas  stove  in  a  specially  con- 
structed fireless  cooker  utensil.  The  utensil  fits 
into  a  corresponding  well  in  an  air-tight,  insulated 


146          THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

box  where  the  cooling  is  so  prolonged  as  to  amount, 
virtually,  to  a  cooking  process.  The  process  may 
be  intensified  to  any  degree  by  means  of  heated 
iron  or  soap-stone  discs  called  radiators,  which  are 
enclosed  in  the  well  with  the  utensil,  and  serve  to 
maintain  as  high  a  temperature  as  any  given  proc- 
ess may  require. 

So  much  of  the  success  of  fireless  cooking  is  de- 
pendent upon  having  exact  temperature  records  for 
heating  the  radiators,  that  it  is  advisable  to  pur- 
chase a  special  thermometer  for  this  use.  Exact 
temperatures  can  then  be  added  to  recipes,  and  the 
time  of  cooking  noted.  This  data  will  serve  as  a 
reliable  guide  the  next  time  the  same  dish  is  pre- 
pared. 

When  the  radiators  are  heated  on  a  gas  stove, 
waste  of  gas  may  be  prevented  by  placing  an  agate 
plate  above  the  radiating  disc  while  it  is  being 
heated,  thus  covering  in  and  conserving  the  heat. 
Radiators  not  in  use  should  be  kept  warm  on  the 
steam  radiator  grill  or  the  back  of  the  kitchen 
stove.  In  summer  they  will  store  up  a  high  de- 
gree of  heat  by  merely  being  placed  in  the  sun. 
Keeping  them  partially  warm  will  markedly  lessen 
the  length  of  time  required  to  heat  them. 

All  slow-cooking  processes  can  be  carried  on  in 
the  fireless  cooker  at  a  minimum  of  expense.  The 
initial  expense  is  only  the  fuel  necessary  to  heat 
the  radiators,  and  the  ten  or  fifteen  minutes'  cook- 
ing required  to  bring  the  food  to  the  boiling  point. 


LABOR-SAVING  EQUIPMENT        147 

As  a  time-saver  the  method  has  advantages  even 
more  important. 

Every  woman  knows  that  there  are  two  things 
that  make  cooking  tedious  and  confining.  First 
the  waiting  around  for  things  to  cook  after  the 
actual  work  of  preparation  has  been  done,  as  in 
"  watching  up "  the  cooking  of  pot-roasts,  stews, 
etc.  Second  the  necessity  of  cooking  at  an  incon- 
venient time  in  order  to  economize  fuel.  This  is 


FIG.  28. —  The  large  utensil  is  an  aluminum  double  boiler  in- 
set for  fireless  cooker  well.  The  stew  pans  represented 
are  the  most  efficient  shape  for  conserving  fuel. 

always  a  problem  with  a  coal  range,  and  must  be 
carefully  considered  in  the  use  of  a  gas  oven. 

From  the  point  of  view  of  conserving  the  house- 
keeper's time,  the  most  economical  way  of  working 
is  to  do  things  of  the  same  general  kind  at  the  same 
time.  With  the  fireless  cooker  this  is  made  possi- 
ble. After  the  breakfast  dishes  are  washed,  the 
noon  meal  can  be  prepared,  put  m  the  fireless 
cooker,  and  so  timed  that  it  will  be  ready  to  put 
on  the  table  without  further  attention.  The  house- 


148          THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

keeper  is  then  free  until  luncheon  to  use  her  time 
advantageously  in  some  other  part  of  the  house 
except  the  kitchen.  In  the  same  way  dinner  can 
be  prepared  while  lunch  is  being  cleared  away,  and 
the  afternoon  is  left  free  for  errands,  calls  or  a 
walk  in  the  open  air.  The  breakfast  cereal  can  be 
cooked  while  one  is  doing  up  the  supper  dishes,  and 
may  be  left  in  the  cooker  to  cook  itself  over-night. 
(Double  boiler  inset  for  cereal  cooking,  Fig.  28.) 

Foods,  whether  hot  or  cold,  can  be  kept  for  hours 
at  an  even  temperature  in  the  well  of  the  fireless 
cooker.  In  the  case  of  hot  viands  there  is  no  dan- 
ger of  food  drying  up  as  long  as  there  is  enough 
moisture  in  the  food  compartment  to  preserve  the 
atmosphere  of  steam.  The  radiators  should  not 
be  too  hot.  In  fact,  unless  the  food  is  to  be  left 
for  three  or  four  hours  or  more,  the  radiators  need 
not  be  used  at  all.  One  hole  of  the  fireless  cooker 
may  be  used  for  hot  dishes,  another  for  ice-cream 
or  frozen  pudding.  Iced  dishes  will  keep  quite  as 
well  in  the  fireless  cooker  as  in  a  freezer  if  properly 
packed  in  ice. 

The  fireless  cooker  may  also  be  used  for  raising 
bread.  The  well  is  brought  to  a  temperature  of  70 
degrees  F.  by  means  of  a  radiator  of  the  proper 
temperature.  The  dough  is  then  placed  in  the  alu- 
minum utensil  and  is  covered  and  left  for  the  neces- 
sary time  in  the  well.  A  small  bread-mixer  will  fit 
into  an  eight-quart  well. 

In  most   families  it  is   found  to  be  convenient 


LABOR-SAVING  EQUIPMENT         149 

to  can  only  a  few  jars  of  fruit  or  vegetables  at  a 
time,  and  in  such  cases  the  fireless  cooker  may  be 
used  advantageously  in  the  work  of  canning  and 
preserving.  Often  two  or  three  jars  may  be  fitted 
into  a  busy  morning  when  a  larger  quantity  would 
be  impossible.  Sometimes  extra  fruit  that  will  not 
keep  may  be  prepared  in  the  evening  and  cooked 


FIG.   29. —  An    efficient    layer-cake   pan   which    prevents    cake 
from  sticking. 


from  sticking. 

over  night  in  the  fireless  cooker.  To  can  fruit  in 
this  way  prepare  as  for  other  method  and  pack  it 
in  jars.  Adjust  the  rubber  and  cover,  fill  the  jar 
completely  with  hot  syrup,  and  seal  at  once.  Have 
the  fireless  cooker  utensil  heated  before  jars  are 
placed  in  it,  and  cover  completely  with  boiling 
water.  Cover  the  utensil  and  set  away  in  cooker 
over  night  or  until  cold. 

When  food  cooked  in  the  fireless  cooker  is  found 
to  have  a  stale,  unpleasant  taste,  it  is  because  the 
cooker  has  not  been  properly  aired.  The  lids 
should  never  be  tightly  closed  when  the  cooker  is 
not  in  use,  and  should  be  kept  open  for  several 
hours  after  each  cooking  operation. 


150          THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

In  purchasing  a  fireless  cooker  the  following 
points  should  be  carefully  considered: 

1.  Durable     construction.     The     cooker     should 
have  a  well-made  hardwood  or  metal  cabinet. 

2.  Perfect  insulation,  of  cork,  magnesia,  mineral 
wool  or  asbestos. 

3.  The    interior    lining    of     food    compartments 
should  be  durable  and  easily  cleaned.     Alumi- 
num or  nickeled  copper  is  best  for  this  reason. 

4.  There  should  be  a  vent-valve  to  let  off  excess 

steam  while  viands  are  cooking.     This  makes 
roasting  and  browning  possible. 

5.  Cooker   utensils   should   be   of   pure,    seamless 

aluminum. 

6.  The  best  radiators  are  of  soap-stone,  as  this 

retains  heat  longest. 

7.  Lever  lock  should  be  absolutely  tight  to  pre- 

vent loss  of  steam. 

8.  There   should   be    stop-hinges   to  prevent   lids 

from   going  too   far  backward. 

A  good  size  for  the  average  family  is  a  cooker 
having  one  eight-quart  and  one  four-quart  well. 
This  size,  in  the  best  makes,  costs  about  $16.00. 

The  equipment  of  utensils,  heating-stones  or  ra- 
diators, racks  and  covers  that  go  with  the  fireless 
cooker  should  all  be  kept  near  the  place  where  the 
cooker  stands.  The  best  way  to  provide  for  this 
is  to  have  a  stand  on  which  the  cooker  may  rest, 
which  is  at  the  same  time  a  cabinet  to  hold  the  uten- 
sils. The  manufactured  cabinets  have  a  lower 


LABOR-SAVING  EQUIPMENT         151 

compartment  with  two  doors,  a  sliding  shelf  and  a 
lower  drawer.  These  cabinets  are  equipped  with 
good  castors  so  that  the  whole  cooker  outfit  may 
be  moved  about  easily.  Cabinets  large  enough  for 
a  two-hole  cooker  cost  about  $7.25. 

A  very  serviceable  cabinet  may  be  made  at  home 
by  using  ordinary  wood  and  staining  it  to  match 
the  cooker.  Such  a  home-made  stand  is  shown  in 
the  illustration  facing  page  44.  A  smaller  one  can 
be  made  of  lumber  found  in  the  house  and  at  a  cost, 
with  the  castors,  of  $1.50.  The  open  shelves  are 
quite  as  convenient  as  those  closed  in  with  doors. 

There  are  many  advantages  of  the  tireless  cooker 
outside  of  the  most  obvious  function,  the  saving  of 
fuel,  time  and  energy.  Among  these  may  be  noted 
the  following: 

1.  The  cooking  of  food  in  a  tightly  sealed  ves- 
sel, from  which  no  odors  or  steam  can  escape,  pre- 
serves as  nothing  else  can,  the  flavor  of  meats  and 
vegetables. 

2.  Food  which  absorbs  water  easily,  and  there- 
fore   scorches    unless    carefully    watched,    can    be 
cooked  in  the  fireless  cooker  without  any  danger. 

3.  Fireless  cooking,   when  thoroughly  mastered, 
gives  more  uniform  results  than  any  other  method. 

COOKING  BY  STEAM 

Great  economy  of  time  and  strength  can  be  ef- 
fected by  means  of  steam  cooking.  We  are  so  used 
to  baking,  boiling  and  frying  our  food  that  it  seems 


152          THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

almost  revolutionary  to  suggest  a  simpler  method. 
There  is,  it  is  true,  a  limited  amount  of  steam  cook- 
ing done  in  almost  every  home.  We  all  have 
steamed  brown  bread,  and  once  in  a  while  a  steamed 
pudding.  But  the  use  of  steam  as  a  resource  for 
preparing  all  kinds  of  food  is  almost  unknown. 

The  greatest  advantage  of  cooking  by  steam  lies 
in  the  fact  that  it  conserves  in  the  food  all  the  del- 
icate flavors  and  mineral  salts  which  are  lost  in 
boiling,  and  gives  us  a  wholesome,  delicious  fare 
with  a  minimum  of  effort,  expense  and  work.  The 
possibilities  of  steam  for  this  use  were  first  brought 
to  the  attention  of  the  public  in  the  wTritings  of  Mr. 
Charles  Barnard,  the  founder  of  the  Housekeeping 
Experiment  Station.  While  steam  cooking  has 
been  practised  in  some  form  or  other  for  unknown 
years,  it  still  remained  a  practically  undeveloped 
resource  until  he  convinced  progressive  housekeep- 
ers of  its  value.  All  kinds  of  vegetables  and  fruits 
are  delicious  when  prepared  in  this  way.  One  may 
have  steamed  potatoes,  rice,  apples,  cabbage,  to- 
matoes, corn,  etc.  Vegetables  writh  a  strong  taste 
should  first  be  parboiled  for  ten  minutes  in  boiling 
water,  and  then  put  in  the  steamer  to  finish.  Sev- 
eral dishes  may  be  prepared  at  one  time  in  the 
steamer  and  the  flavors  will  not  mingle.  Food 
may  be  placed  directly  in  the  dishes  in  which  it  is 
to  appear  on  the  table,  thus  saving  dish-washing. 
A  whole  meal  may  be  prepared  over  one  burner, 
thus  reducing  the  cost  of  fuel  to  a  minimum. 


V 

LABOR-SAVING  EQUIPMENT         153 

Steamed  food  requires  no  watching  while  it  is 
cooking  if  the  proper  amount  of  water  is  placed  in 
the  water  pan.  The  water  pan  must  of  course  be 
kept  from  getting  dry,  and  a  little  experience  is 
needed  to  know  just  how  long  each  type  of  steamer 
can  be  safely  left  without  attention.  In  homes 
where  meals  cannot  be  served  at  regular  times 


FIG.  30. —  Simplest  type  of  steamer.  Illustrations  intended 
to  show  perforations  in  upper  pan.  One  of  the  most  val- 
uable kitchen  utensils. 

steaming  and  fireless  cooking  are  the  only  methods 
that  can  be  employed  without  spoiling  the  food  and 
ruining  the  disposition  of  the  cook. 

Three  types  of  steamer  are  illustrated.  The 
simplest  form  (see  Fig.  30)  is  suited  to  any  family 
because  it  may  be  used  for  a  variety  of  purposes. 
It  will  be  the  only  steamer  needed  for  a  family  of 
two,  where  a  fireless  cooker  is  also  used.  But  if 
there  is  no  fireless  cooker  it  will  be  best  to  buy  the 
small  steamer  and  a  two-shelf  one  also. 

The  two-or- three-shelf  steamer  with  copper  bot- 
tom (see  Fig.  31)  is  ideal  for  a  family  of  four  or 
less,  as  it  will  hold  enough  for  an  entire  meal. 
For  larger  families  either  a  four-compartment 
cooker  of  this  type  is  recommended,  or  the  round 


154 


THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 


type  (see  Fig.  32)  of  separate  sections.  This  type 
has  some  advantages  over  the  square  type,  because 
its  parts  are  removable  and  one  can  use  one  section, 
or  two,  or  three. 

Care  must  be  taken  to  wipe  out  the  cookers  after 


PIG.  31. —  Steamers  with  two  or  more  FIG.  32. —  Steamer 
compartments  are  economical  of  having  separate 
fuel  and  labor.  sections. 

use.  No  water  should  be  allowed  to  stand  in  them. 
If  it  is  poured  out  immediately  and  the  cooker  is 
dried  over  a  warm  radiator  it  will  keep  in  good  con- 
dition for  several  years. 

The  awkward  business  of  filling  a  steam  cooker 
can  be  accomplished  with  ease  if  a  small  piece  of 
rubber  tubing  is  kept  near  the  sink.  Connect  one 
end  with  the  faucet  and  let  the  water  run  into  the 
bottom  of  the  steamer. 

Certain  vegetables,  such  as  potatoes,  are  better 
if  allowed  to  rest  on  a  perforated  plate  while  steam- 


LABOR-SAVING  EQUIPMENT         155 

ing,  so  that  they  do  not  rest  in  the  water  of  con- 
densation, which  collects  on  the  bottom  of  the  ves- 
sel. Potatoes  are  more  delicious  cooked  in  this 
than  in  any  other  way. 

WHEEL  CARTS  AND  WHEELED   SERVING  TABLES 

Some  form  of  serving  table  on  wheels  is  an  in- 
dispensable adjunct  to  the  efficient  home.  As  a 
means  of  conserving  time  and  energy  it  almost 
ranks  with  the  business  man's  automobile. 

Its  greatest  usefulness  is  found  in  homes  where 
there  are  no  servants,  or  in  large  families  where 
only  one  maid  is  kept.  Its  office  at  meal-time  is 
practically  that  of  a  substitute  for  the  labors  of  a 
second  girl.  It  is  first  moved  to  the  china  closet 
and  buffet  and  receives  its  load  of  dishes,  cutlery 
and  linen  for  setting  the  table.  It  is  then  wheeled 
to  a  convenient  position,  and  the  things  for  the  ta- 
ble are  unloaded  and  put  in  their  proper  places. 
Those  that  need  to  be  warmed  are  taken  to  the 
kitchen  or  the  hot  grill  in  pantry  or  dining-room. 
The  serving  dishes  go  out  to  the  warming-oven  in 
the  kitchen.  The  table  is  now  empty  and  in  con- 
venient position  to  receive  the  food  from  pantry 
and  kitchen.  Bread  and  butter,  milk,  water,  etc., 
are  first  placed  on  the  lower  shelf  of  the  wheel 
cart,  together  with  a  reserve  of  uncut  bread,  the 
crumbing  outfit  and  a  plate  scraper.  Next  the  des- 
sert and  dessert  plates  are  placed  on  this  shelf.  If 
the  dessert  needs  to  be  kept  hot  it  may  either  be 


156          THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

placed  over  a  water  pan  of  boiling  water,  or  kept 
warm  on  a. little  table  stove  which  stands  on  the 
cart.  Thermos  bottles  are  very  useful  for  hot  or 
cold  sauces  or  for  hot  or  cold  drinks.  There 
should  be  two  of  these  for  comfort.  Last  of  all 
the  food  is  dished  up  and  placed  on  the  top  of  the 
table.  The  cart  is  then  wheeled  to  the  dining-room 
or  out-door  breakfast  room,  and  the  first  course  is 
served.  If  soup  or  some  relish  precedes  the  meat 
and  vegetable  course,  these  must  be  kept  warm  in 
the  meantime.  Nickel  meat  platters  with  covers 
are  indispensable  for  this  need.  (Fig.  35.)  After 
each  course  is  finished  the  dishes  are  passed  to  the 
hostess,  who  places  them  on  the  wheel  cart,  which 
is  always  at  her  left.  Before  the  dessert,  crumbs 
are  removed  by  passing  the  crumb  tray  to  each  per- 
son in  turn.  After  dessert  coffee  is  made  at  the 
table  or  on  a  little  table  stove. 

When  the  meal  is  over  the  dishes  are  piled  on 
the  wheel  cart.  Table  linen,  condiment  sets,  etc., 
are  put  where  they  belong.  The  dishes,  carefully 
scraped,  are  wheeled  out  on  the  cart  to  the  sink, 
where  they  remain  ready  for  washing. 

This  procedure,  with  such  variation  as  circum- 
stances require,  may  be  worked  out  to  satisfactorily 
meet  the  needs  of  the  average  family.  But  special 
thought  and  some  additional  equipment  are  neces- 
sary if  the  family  is  large,  or  if  elaborate  meals 
are  served.  The  general  tendency  is  toward  sim- 
plified living;  and  for  such  conditions  the  serving 


"S    c 
I  2> 


r-        1> 

5  _£ 


c  »o 
c    c 

O     r3 


-     bC 

Is 


LABOR-SAVING  EQUIPMENT         157 

table   is   fully  adequate,   and  the  greatest   possible 
comfort. 

LABOR-SAVING  AND  FUEL-SAVING  UTENSILS 
The  following  list  of  labor-saving  and  fuel-saving 
utensils  should  be  included  in  every  kitchen  outfit. 
The  housekeeper  with  the  least  money  to  spend 
needs  the  help  and  saving  in  strength  even  more 
than  the  one  with  ample  income.  If  there  is  very 
little  baking  of  bread,  cake  or  muffins,  the  bread 
and  cake  mixers  may  be  omitted : 

Labor-Saving  Equipment.         Fuel-Saving  Equipment. 

Coffee  Percolator    ...$3.25      Fireless  Cooker.    (One  with 

Bread  Mixer 1.75  two  compartments  is  rec- 
ommended for  average 

Cake  Mixer 1.50  needs.  A  single  com- 
partment, 8-qt.  well,  will 

Potato  Ricer 35  however,  do  excellent 

service.) 

Meat  Chopper 1.25       Steamers.     (One  small  one 

Slaw  Cutter 35  of  specially  convenient 

type  is  a  necessity.  A 

Puree  Strainer .  .  2.00  two-shelf  or  four-shelf 

steamer  in  addition  will 

Electric  Iron  5.00  prepare  several  dishes  at 

the  same  time.) 

Dish  Drainer    1.50      Small  Toaster  to  use  over 

Plate  Scraper 10          one  gas  burner. 

The   following  labor  savers  are  extremely  con- 
venient, but  are  not  necessities  in  all  families: 

Mayonnaise    Mixer  ..$1.25  Apple  Parer  from  .75 

Bread  Slicer 75          to   $1.25 

Pastry  Bag  and  Outfit  2.25  Cherry   Stoner 75 

Rosette    Irons    75  Ham  Saw 75 

Cream  Whip  i.oo  Saratoga     Parer     and 

Grater  for  Fresh  Corn    .25          Slicer    , , , .25 


158          THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

Grape  Fruit  Knife   . .     .50      Butter  Ball  Pats 44 

Pineapple  Snips 25 

DESIRABLE  DINING-ROOM  EQUIPMENT 
The  new  housekeeping  has  transformed  dining- 
room  as  well  as  kitchen  equipment.     Housekeepers 


FIG.  35. 

When  cooking  is  done  in  the  dining-room  the  equipment 
must  be  dainty  as  well  as  efficient.  The  condiment  set  (Fie. 
33),  electric  toaster  (Fie.  34)  and  nickel  platters  (FiG.  35) 
illustrate  a  few  desirable  pieces. 

doing  their  own  work  spend  less  on  expensive 
china,  cut  glass  and  table  linen,  and  in  its  place 
buy  the  attractive  outfit  of  dining-room  equipment 
enumerated  below; 


LABOR-SAVING  EQUIPMENT        159 


Wheel  Cart 

from  $5.50  to $18.00 

Turn  Table  or  Lazy 

Susan  10.00 

Electric  Toaster 5.00 

Nickel  Baking  Dish, 

pottery  lined 3.20 

Silver  Meat  Dish,  10- 

in 5.40 

Nickel  Cover  to  fit..  3.35 


6  inch  Electric  Table 

Stove  $  7.50 

Electric  Blazing  Dish  2.50 
Or  Alcohol  Stove  and 

Chafing  Dish  10.50 

Mahoganite  Tray,  25- 

in 8.00 

Condiment  Sets  ....  6.00 
Thermos  Bottles,  I 

pt.  size  $2.50,  qt.  .  3.50 
Carved  Bread  Board  .75 


TIME-SAVING  EQUIPMENT  EVERY  KITCHEN 
SHOULD  HAVE 


Clock. 

Scrap  Basket. 

Supply  of  Pins  in  tin  box 
or  cushion. 

Steel   Skewers. 

Refined  Cotton  Seed  Oil  in 
Quart  Can.  (This  liquid 
shortening  saves  time  and 
dish-washing  in  all  reci- 
pes which  require  melted 
shortening.) 


Absorbent  Cotton  in  Cov- 
ered Jar.  (Should  be 
kept  on  hand,  as  a  thin 
layer  is  useful  under 
coffee  in  Percolator  when 
coffee  is  ground  too  fine.) 

Soft-Haired  Paint  Brush, 
i -in.  wide.  (For  use  in 
greasing  Pans,  top  of 
bread,  rolls,  etc.) 

Pad  and  Pencil  for  Jotting 
down  Kitchen  needs. 
(Best  size  called  Tele- 
phone Pads.) 

SMALL  KITCHEN  NECESSITIES 
Bag  for  brown  paper  made  of  denim  or  ticking, 
size  1 6  by  26  inches  or  larger,  made  with  a  loop  in 
upper  left-hand  corner  and  hung  on  a  hook  in  closet 
or  pantry  to  hold  empty  paper  bags,  brown  paper, 
newspapers,  etc. 

Small  bag  or  box  for  twine. 

Handy  jar,  containing  cup-hooks,  screw-eyes, 
etc.,  so  that  each  new  addition  to  kitchen  equip- 
ment may  be  hung  at  once  in  place. 


i6o          THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

Two  nails  hung  together  by  wire  and  suspended 
from  hook.  Useful  to  punch  holes  in  sifting  top 
cans,  olive  oil  cans,  etc. 

Small  hammer. 

Labels,  convenient  size  for  kitchen  use. 

Darning  needle  and  strong  twine  for  sewing  up 
stuffed  fish,  fowl,  shoulder  of  lamb,  etc. 

Non-rustable  pot-covers,  either  aluminum  or 
agate-ware,  or  handi-hook  type.  If  the  former, 
a  rack  near  stove  to  keep  them  in,  to  save  steps  in 
getting  them  and  returning  them  to  their  place.  If 
paper  roll  is  near  they  can  be  wiped  at  once  after 
use  and  returned  to  their  place. 

SMALL  KITCHEN  CONVENIENCES 

Heart  scraper  of  aluminum  for  scraping  agate 
or  iron  ware  dishes. 

Funnel. 

Dish-protector  to  go  on  faucet  and  prevent  break- 
age of  china. 

Corks,  assorted  sizes,  for  use  as  stoppers.  Also 
a  supply  of  large  corks  for  cleaning  kitchen  knives. 

Sterilized  baking  testers. 

Scissors.  As  necessary  to  a  complete  kitchen 
as  a  frying  pan.  Among  the  uses  they  serve  are 
the  following: 

Cutting  raisins  or  figs. 

Cutting  center  from  grape-fruit. 

Cutting  lettuce,  parsley,  etc.,  for  garnishing. 

Cutting  thin  sandwiches  in  fancy  shapes,  oblongs, 
squares,  rounds,  etc. 


LABOR-SAVING  EQUIPMENT        161 

Cutting  the  joint  of  a  chicken. 

Cutting  angelica  to  decorate  fancy  cake*. 

Cutting  twine  and  paper. 

Cutting  clams  for  chowder. 

Dicing  bacon  and  salt  pork. 

OUTFIT  OF  PAPER  FOR  KITCHEN 

Flat  package  of  tissue  paper  for  greasing  pans, 
etc.  Should  be  kept  in  a  handy  place  near  work- 
table. 

Newspaper  cut  in  quarters  and  kept  in  bag  or 
drawer  in  kitchen  to  be  used,  to  protect  kitchen 
table  whenever  dirty  work  has  to  be  done. 

Paper  towelling  or  absorbent  paper  to  replace 
roller  towel.  Also  valuable  to  absorb  superfluous 
grease  from  croquettes,  fried  mush,  doughnuts,  etc. 

Oiled  paper  saved  from  bread  or  bought  in  rolls 
at  5  and  10  cent  store  to  wrap  up  sandwiches,  cheese, 
meat,  etc. 

Paper  Bags.  Either  regular  cooking  bags,  or 
bags  saved  from  groceries.  Useful  for  warming 
up  muffins,  rolls  or  biscuits.  Place  muffins,  etc.,  in 
bag.  Sprinkle  lightly  with  water,  tie  up  end  and 
put  in  oven  for  5  to  10  minutes.  The  enclosed 
steam  makes  them  like  new. 

UTENSILS  THAT  SERVE  A  DOUBLE  PURPOSE 

One   of  the  greatest  benefits  that  is  coming  to 

the  kitchen  from  an  intelligent  study  on  the  part 

of  the  manufacturer,  of  the  housekeeper's  needs  is 

the  development  of  utensils  that  save  unnecessary 


162          THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

equipment.  These  may  serve  double  purposes  and 
at  the  same  time  conserve  fuel.  Such  a  develop- 
ment is  the  tea-kettle  of  aluminum  with  double 
boiler  inset;  the  double  boiler  inset  (see  Fig.  28)  to 
the  aluminum  fireless  cooker  utensils ;  the  triple  nest- 
ing compartments  fitting  into  one  hole  of  the  fireless 
cooker ;  and  a  food  strainer  which  may  serve  in  turn 
as  a  steamer  or  a  colander.  All  of  these  utensils 
are  very  valuable  additions  to  the  kitchen  outfit. 
There  are  also  on  the  market  a  number  that  are 
said  to  serve  many  purposes  but  that  do  not  serve 
any  one  really  well.  The  housekeeper  must  be  on 
her  guard  to  buy  only  articles  of  known  merit. 


XI 

LIGHT  HOUSEKEEPING  EQUIPMENT 

THE  great  improvement  in  kitchen  and  din- 
ing-room conveniences  has  made  it  possi- 
ble for  any  small  sized  family  to  keep 
house  comfortably  with  a  very  simple  outfit.  When 
we  eliminate  from  the  regular  work  of  the  kitchen 
the  cake  and  bread  making,  the  making  of  pies, 
deep-fat  frying  and  all  canning  and  preserving,  we 
find  that  the  number  of  utensils  needed  is  cut  in 
half.  We  find  that  with  a  few  well  chosen,  effi- 
cient tools  we  can  get  up  very  attractive  meals,  that 
we  can  enjoy  almost  as  much  freedom  as  in  board- 
ing and  far  more  home  comfort. 

The  three  essentials  of  light  housekeeping  are 
the  fireless  cooker,  steamer  and  chafing  dish. 
Therefore  these  three  articles  must  head  the  list  of 
any  light  housekeeping  equipment.  If -you  want  to 
do  a  little  muffin  making  or  cake  baking,  you  must 
learn  to  bake  in  the  fireless  cooker.  An  occasional 
roast,  also,  may  come  from  the  fireless  cooker.  If 
you  want  to  save  time  and  avoid  unnecessary  dish- 
washing, you  must  learn  serving-dish  cookery,  plac- 
ing your  food  in  the  dishes  in  which  they  are  to 
appear  on  the  table,  and  doing  the  cooking  in  the 

163 


1 64          THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

steamer.  Not  only  will  you  be  delighted  with  the 
ease  of  work  done  in  this  way,  but  you  will  won- 
der at  the  delicious  flavors  that  are  brought  out  in 
the  food.  If  you  want  to  have  jolly  little  informal 
suppers  and  invite  in  four  or  five  friends,  you  will 
find  your  little  outfit  adequate  for  delightful  chafing 
dish  spreads. 

A  very  tiny  kitchenette  is  all  that  is  needed  for 
light  housekeeping.  Sometimes  a  big  closet  or 
pantry  in  old  fashioned  city  houses  can  be  utilized 
in  this  way.  It  ought  to  have  good  light  and  good 
ventilation.  There  are  ingenious  ways  of  securing 
ventilation;  but  at  least  one  window  opening  out- 
doors is  an  essential.  If  your  alcove  or  closet  does 
not  afford  that,  you  had  better  have  your  stove  and 
work  table  in  the  living-room.  They  can  be  en- 
closed in  sightly  wooden  cabinets  that  close  up  to 
look  like  a  desk  or  other  article  of  sitting-room 
furniture,  when  the  contents  are  not  in  use.  The 
closet  can  then  be  utilized  for  storage  of  supplies 
and  for  dish- washing.  With  the  addition  of  a 
good  zinc-covered  table  an  ordinary  stationary 
lavatory  will  answer  this  purpose  very  well.  Noth- 
ing is  needed  except  that  it  be  sanitary  and  that  it 
enable  you  to  get  rid  of  the  waste  water. 

However  arranged,  the  light  housekeeping  equip- 
ment should  include  a  drawer  for  cutlery;  a  drawer 
for  table-linen  (together  with  outfits  of  paper  nap- 
kins, table-cloths  and  doilies).  There  should  be  a 
convenient  place  for  minute  supplies  of  flour,  salt, 


LIGHT  HOUSEKEEPING  EQUIPMENT    165 

pepper,  sugar,  etc.,  so  that  everything  you  need  for 
your  play  housekeeping  is  right  at  hand,  just  as 
it  is  in  the  more  formal  kitchen.  Your  tiny  ice 
chest  must  keep  fresh  milk,  butter,  cream  and  salad 
materials  always  ready  for  use. 

Any  one  carrying  out  this  plan  in  the  city  has 
the  choice,  in  most  houses  or  apartments,  of  three 
fuels,  gas,  alcohol  or  electricity.  The  latter  would 
be  preferable  because  it  is  the  most  convenient,  and 
because  it  does  not  exhaust  the  oxygen  in  the  air. 
But  except  for  the  lightest  of  light  housekeeping,  it 
would  be  found  more  expensive  than  the  others. 
Gas,  where  it  can  be  had,  is  at  present  prices  the 
most  practical,  and  alcohol  next.  The  equipment  for 
either  gas  or  alcohol  is  practically  the  same,  except 
for  the  stove.  For  electric  cooking  a  special  outfit 
is  desirable,  because  in  order  to  economize  fuel  the 
cooking  utensils  must  clamp  fast  to  the  electric 
stove.  Moreover,  special  care  must  be  taken  in 
wiring  to  have  the  voltage  right  for  the  utensils  that 
are  to  be  used. 

You  will  notice  that,  in  the  list  that  follows,  a 
dozen  and  a  half  plates,  a  dozen  cups  and  saucers 
and  a  dozen  glasses  are  included,  while  the  rest 
of  the  outfit  is  limited  to  six  pieces.  This  is  to 
allow  for  entertaining.  A  good  deal  of  simple  but 
delightful  hospitality  is  possible  if  one  has  cups 
and  saucers,  glasses  and  plates  enough.  For  formal 
entertaining  and  especially  elaborate  dinners  the 
light  housekeeper  must  go  to  a  restaurant. 


1 66 


THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 


REGULAR  LIGHT  HOUSEKEEPING  OUTFIT 

Two-burner  Junior  gas  stove  (See  Figs.  20  and  12) 

and  single  alcohol  stove  for  table  use $  4.50 

Or,  two-burner  alcohol  stove  and  single  alcohol 

stove  for  table  use  10.50 

Home-made  cabinet  for  stove  to  rest  on 3.50 

Fireless  cooker  with  one  4-qt.  and  one  8-qt.  well, 

aluminum  lined  16.00 

Fireless  cooker  cabinet  with  shelves  for  utensils  . .  2.50 
Single  steamer  of  agate  ware  (to  be  kept  under 

shelf  of  stove  cabinet)  (See  Fig.  30)  1.19 

Two-shelf  steamer  (to  be  kept  under  shelf  of  stove 

cabinet)  (See  Fig.  31) 4.50 

Chafing  dish  10.00 

Coffee  percolator,  three  pints 3.50 

Wheel  cart,  oak  or  mahogany,  $20.00;  plain  wood. .  •  5.50 
Small  cabinet  with  bins  underneath  and  pastry 

boards  to  pull  out  6.00 

Stool,  a  comfortable  height  for  the  worker 1.50 

Chest  refrigerator 13-00 

$82.19 

Dish  pan    $  .50  Amount  forward. $3.33 

Soap  shaker 18  Two  measuring  cups.     .10 

Dish  mop 10  Extension  strainer  . . .     .35 

Vegetable  brush 05      Small  strainer 10 

\J£getable  knife 15      Flour  sifter 25 

Bread  knife 50  One  small  stew  pan  . .     .15 

Tin  funnel 05  One  aluminum  cover  .      .15 

Two  wooden  spoons. .     .20      5  inch  frying. pan 50 

Four     aluminum    tea-  4  small  white  bowls   .     .44 

spoons 20      4  agate  dishes 60 

Two       plated       table-  4  agate  plates 60 

spoons     50      4  agate  cups 60 

Kitchen     knives     and  Lemon  squeezer 10 

forks 40      Egg  beater 25 

Cork  screw 25 

Can  opener 25  $7-52 

$3-33 


LIGHT  HOUSEKEEPING  EQUIPMENT    167 

Amount  forward   $  7.52 

Double  cake  closet  with  five  compartments  for  crack- 
ers, cookies,  cake,  pie  and  bread 4.50 

One-half  dozen  pint  jars  to  hold  small  supplies.  ...  .45 
One-half  dozen  quart  jars  to  hold  small  supplies.  .  .45 
Pitchers:  Qt.  size,  pt.,  half-pt,  and  3  small 80 

$1372 

DINING-ROOM    OUTFIT    FOR    LIGHT    HOUSE- 
KEEPING 

6  plated   tea-spoons    $     .60 

4  plated  table-spoons    i.oo 

6  plated  forks    50 

6  plated  knives    50 

4  plated  dessert  spoons oo 

Carved  bread  board   oo 

Sugar  bowl 25 

Teapot    25 

i  dozen  cups  and  saucers    2.40 

6  Sauce    dishes    60 

1  dozen  bread  and  butter  plates    1.20 

18  Supper  plates 1.80 

6  Dinner  plates 60 

2  Open  vegetable  dishes 60 

2  Platters    80 

i  dozen  tumblers    1.20 

Silver  carving  knife  and  fork 5.00 

Electric  toaster   5.00 

$26.30 

2    Lunch    cloths,    il/2  2  Dustless   dustcloths.$  .50 

yd.  size $3«oo  4  Loose    woven  wash 

1  Doz.  napkins,  linen.   2.00        cloths    20 

4     Doz.    crepe    paper  2  Flannelette     floor 

napkins 50        cloths    40 

Assorted  paper  doilies  1.50  l/2  Doz.  crash  towels.     .60 

Roll  paper  toweling. .   1.50  l/2  Doz.  linen  tea  tow- 

2  rolls  oiled  paper  ...     .10       els    1.50 

Supply    of    old    news-  Dust-pan,    brush    and 

papers.  broom   i.oo 

$8.60  $4.20 


1 68          THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

TOTAL  COST  OF  REGULAR  LIGHT  HOUSEKEEPING 
OUTFIT 

Stoves,  cookers  and  special  utensils   $  82.19 

Cooking  dishes  and  small  utensils   13.72 

Dining-room  outfit   26.30 

Linen  and  paper  outfit   8.60 

Cleaning  outfit  4.20 


$135.01 

LIGHTEST  OF  ALL  OUTFITS 
Where  only  breakfasts  are  prepared  at  home,  or 
for  emergency  use  anywhere,  the  following  list  of 
light  housekeeping  utensils  will  be   found  exceed- 
ingly useful  and  valuable : 

Small  alcohol  stove  (See  Size  12) $1.50 

4-inch  aluminum  frying  pan   30 

3-inch  aluminum  stew-pan  with  cover 40 

Nickel    tray    1.25 

Extension  strainer   35 

Pint  bottle  of  alcohol   30 

2  cups  and   saucers    50 

4  plates    40 

12  tea-spoons,  4  knives  and  4  forks 3.00 

Sugar   bowl    25 

Tea  canister  and  small  tea-pot 25 

Cork  screw  and  can  opener 50 

Egg  beater   18 

$9.18 

Any  one  who  has  never  tried  it  will  be  amazed 
to  find  how  much  can  be  accomplished  with  the 
simple  little  outfit  given  above.  A  shelf  or  small 
closet  so  fitted  up  would  be  found  an  immense  com- 
fort in  emergencies  in  any  home.  With  it  people 
living  in  furnished  rooms  can  easily  get  breakfasts 
and  occasional  suppers.  Empty  boxes  and  a  pail 


LIGHT  HOUSEKEEPING  EQUIPMENT    169 

or  two  will  enable  one  to  store  the  small  supply  of 
rolls,  bread,  butter,  etc.,  that  one  needs  to  keep  on 
hand  for  daily  use.  This  same  outfit,  with  some 
slight  modifications,  was  carried  by  the  author  on 
a  walking  trip  of  three  days.  We  omitted  the 
nickel  tray,  replaced  the  silver-plated  cutlery  by 
kitchen  knives,  forks  and  spoons,  and  the  crockery 
dishes  by  agate  ware.  We  found  the  equipment 
light  and  compact  and  fully  adequate  for  breakfasts 
and  suppers.  There  are  few  places  in  these  days 
where  one  may  not  easily  get  good  home-made  bread 
and  butter,  rolls,  milk,  fresh  eggs,  etc.  So  it  is 
possible,  with  a  few  well-chosen  utensils  for  cook- 
ing, to  be  very  independent. 


XII 
DISPOSAL  OF  KITCHEN  WASTE 

ONE  of  the  most  troublesome  problems  of 
housekeeping    is    the    proper    disposal    of 
garbage.     Where    the    income    is    liberal 
and  gas  is  available,  a  recent  invention  has  com- 
pletely solved  this  difficulty. 

The  garbage  is  burned  in  a  gas-fired  destroyer 
of  excellent  design.  The  destroyer  is  usually  placed 
beside  the  kitchen  range,  and  connected  with  the 
same  flue.  It  is  so  well  designed  that  no  unpleas- 
ant odors  escape  and  the  gas  burners  are  so  power- 
ful that  even  green  vegetable  garbage  is  reduced 
to  ashes  in  a  short  time.  The  ashes  can  then  be 
removed  from  the  receiver  in  the  lower  part  of  the 
destroyer  and  thrown  into  the  usual  garbage  can. 
Ordinarily  it  takes  an  hour  to  an  hour  and  a  half 
to  burn  up  the  amount  the  destroyer  will  contain. 
In  a  small  family  garbage  can  be  put  into  the  de- 
stroyer for  several  days  till  it  is  full,  and  then 
burned.  No  unpleasant  odors  will  escape  into  the 
kitchen.  The  price  of  the  household  size  is  $85.00. 
The  high  price  makes  is  prohibitory  for  the  average 
family,  unless  several  families  near  together  own 
and  use  it  cooperatively.  The  garbage  can  be  col- 
lected and  burned  each  evening. 

I/O 


DISPOSAL  OF  KITCHEN  WASTE      171 

A  less  expensive  type  of  gas  garbage  burner  has 
satisfactorily  stood  a  nine  months'  test.  It  must 
be  installed  with  a  copper  stove-pipe  instead  of  an 
iron  one  as  the  gases  formed  by  combustion  cause 
the  iron  pipe  to  disintegrate.  This  type  costs 
$14.00.  It  will  undoubtedly  pay  in  the  long  run  to 
buy  the  expensive  type,  as  the  former  is  especially 
constructed  to  withstand  the  intense  heat  necessary 
to  reduce  the  garbage  to  ashes,  and  also  to  with- 
stand the  corroding  action  of  the  gases  given  out  in 
the  process. 

The  collection  of  garbage  is  a  problem  that  ought 
to  be  worked  out  cooperatively  in  every  small  town 
or  city,  where  the  work  is  not  undertaken  by  the 
public  authorities.  Even  where  garbage  is  collected 
twice  a  week,  there  will  be  some  annoyance  from 
decaying  food.  In  the  vicinity  of  Boston  special 
garbage  bags  have  been  made  which  fit  the  ordinary 
garbage  can.  The  bag  is  placed  in  the  empty  can 
and  the  garbage  put  into  it.  When  the  can  is  ready 
to  empty  the  bag  is  removed  with  the  garbage  and 
the  can  is  left  clean. 

CARE   OF   GARBAGE   IN    THE   COUNTRY 

Every  householder  ought  to  have  a  strong  gal- 
vanized garbage  can.  The  best  have  wooden  sup- 
ports on  the  sides  to  prevent  the  sides  of  the  can 
from  becoming  bent  in  handling.  Such  a  can  costs 
$3.50.  Where  the  city  authorities  do  not  require 
separate  cans  for  the  ashes  and  garbage,  one  can 


172          THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

will  suffice  for  most  families.  An  agate-ware  pail 
can  be  used  instead  of  the  can.  The  pail  should  be 
kept  in  a  box  having  a  hinged  cover.  It  is  not 
necessary  for  the  box  to  have  a  bottom;  it  is  even 
a  very  good  plan  to  sink  the  box  in  the  ground. 
Sometimes  the  box  is  placed  against  the  back  wall 
of  the  house  and  painted  the  same  color.  This 
makes  it  neat  and  inconspicuous.  The  cover  is  a 


FIG.  36. —  Illustrates  two  views  of  under-ground  garbage  can. 
The  figure  at  the  right  shows  it  before  placed  in  position. 
The  one  at  the  left  after  it  has  been  buried  in  the  ground. 

necessity,  both  for  sanitary  reasons  and  also  to 
prevent  cats  and  dogs  from  getting  into  the  pail 
and  tipping  it  over. 

Another  excellent  plan  is  to  install  one  of  the 
garbage  receivers  designed  to  be  sunk  in  the  ground. 
(See  Fig  36.)  The  receiver  is  made  of  cast  iron, 
the  size  of  the  usual  garbage  can,  with  a  hinged  top. 
The  iron  receiver  with  its  cover  is  sunk  in  the  earth 
near  the  back  door,  The  regular  garbage  can  is 


DISPOSAL  OF  KITCHEN  WASTE      173 

placed  inside  the  receiver.  One  container  of  this 
type  has  the  cover  so  made  that  it  can  be  opened 
with  the  foot  when  the  garbage  is  dumped  in.  This 
saves  the  necessity  of  setting  the  garbage  down  in 
order  to  open  the  cover.  The  price  of  this  style  of 
container  is  $12.75  to  $21.00,  according  to  size. 

It  is  a  good  plan  to  discourage  keeping  a  gar- 
bage pail  in  the  kitchen.  This  plan  is  often  far 
from  sanitary,  and  the  garbage  itself  draws  flies. 
It  is  better  to  make  an  iron-clad  rule  that  no  gar- 
bage be  kept  in  the  kitchen,  and  that  it  be  taken 
out  after  each  meal.  Drain  the  scrapings  from  the 
plates  and  other  waste  food  in  the  sink  drainer, 
then  wrap  it  up  in  a  newspaper  and  place  it  in  the 
covered  pail  at  the  back  entrance.  Paper  bags  in 
\vhich  groceries  come  may  be  saved  for  this  purpose. 
See  that  the  garbage  pail  is  rinsed  out  with  hot  soda 
solution  once  a  week  in  winter  and  two  or  three 
times  a  week  in  summer. 

In  country  homes,  where  all  kinds  of  waste  must 
be  disposed  of  by  the  householder,  it  is  a  good  plan 
to  keep  two  extra  waste  barrels  in  the  cellar.  One 
is  used  for  empty  cans,  bottles,  etc.,  the  other  is  for 
waste  paper,  dust  and  other  dry  refuse.  All  empty 
cans  should  be  rinsed  under  the  hot  water  faucet 
and  dried  out  on  the  radiator  or  back  of  the  range 
before  being  put  in  the  barrel  to  prevent  unpleasant 
odors.  Arrangements  can  be  made  several  times 
a  year  to  have  someone  call  and  take  the  contents 
of  this  barrel  to  the  public  dump.  The  contents 


174          THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

of  the  waste  paper  barrel  should  be  burned  in  the 
furnace  at  convenient  times  during  the  week,  so  as 
not  to  affect  its  running.  In  summer  it  may  be 
burned  in  a  wire  refuse  burner  especially  sold  for 
the  purpose.  In  the  winter,  garbage  may  be  burned 
in  the  furnace.  Often  it  is  buried  in  the  garden 
or  placed  in  a  trench  made  for  the  purpose  and  cov- 
ered each  time  with  a  layer  of  earth.  Where  there 
is  an  ample  garden  this  is  the  best  method  in  the 
long  run,  though  it  requires  a  few  more  steps. 

If  garbage  is  properly  drained  and  wrapped  in 
paper  it  can  be  kept  in  the  covered  agate  pail  at 
the  back  of  the  house.  Once  a  day  the  pail  can  be 
emptied  in  the  garden.  Scald  out  the  pail  often 
with  a  strong  solution  of  sal-soda.  Where  there 
are  coal  or  wood  ranges,  much  of  the  light  waste 
can  be  burned  up  in  the  range.  The  chief  cause  of 
unsightly  back  yards  is  failure  to  plan  intelligently 
for  the  care  and  disposal  of  these  various  kinds  of 
waste.  If  families  would  cooperate  in  this  matter 
the  individual  housekeeper  would  be  saved  much 
annoying  work. 


XIII 
DISH-WASHING   AND   DAILY   CARE  OF;  KITCHEN 

ANY  operation  that  has  to  be  repeated  three 
times  a  day  is  an  important  one  to  reduce 
to  its  simplest  elements  so  that  it  can  be 
done  in  the  least  time,  without  haste  or  sense  of 
weariness  in  its  accomplishment.     By  most  women 
dish-washing   is   considered   by    far  the   most   dis- 
agreeable of  all  the  home  duties.     They  will  there- 
fore welcome  suggestions  whereby  its  irksomeness 
may  be  mitigated  and  the  time  required  for  its  per- 
formance cut  short. 

Dish-washing  is  one  of  the  few  household  tasks 
which  has  not,  thus  far,  been  simplified  by  any 
thoroughly  practical  labor-saving  device.  Excel- 
lent machines  for  boarding-house  and  hotel  use  can 
be  recommended,  but  the  expense  of  these  makes 
them  prohibitive  for  the  home.  Moreover,  to  be 
practical  for  home  use,  a  dish-washing  machine 
should  be  very  simply  constructed.  Otherwise  the 
care  of  the  machine  would  amount  to  more  each 
day  than  the  work  of  dish-washing.  However,  it 
is  surprising  to  find  how  greatly  the  process  may  be 
simplified  by  a  certain  amount  of  system,  and  the 
following  inexpensive  equipment : 

i75 


1 76         THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

Dish-washing  Outfit: 

Plate  scraper    $  .10 

Dish  mop  with  handle 10 

Dish  pan   75 

Dish  cloth   05 

Two  linen  towels 36 

Dish  dryer,  2O-inch 1.50 

Soap  shaker    18 

Dutch  Cleanser   10 

Bath  brick 10 

$3-24 

In  addition  to  the  above  equipment,  the  Wheel 
Cart,  already  enumerated  in  the  chapter  on  Labor 
Saving  Devices,  has  a  most  important  use  in  con- 
nection with  the  perennial  task  of  washing  dishes, 
since  it  saves  practically  all  the  laborious  work  of 
carrying  utensils  to  and  fro.  These  cost  from 
$5.50  to  $20.00.  (See  frontispiece.) 

No  part  of  the  household  work  is  done  to  better 
advantage  by  two  people  working  together  than  is 
dish-washing.  Not  only  is  there  a  gain  in  time 
through  cooperation,  but  all  sense  of  drudgery  and 
weariness  is  removed.  It  is  a  process  that  need 
not  at  all  disturb  conversation  as  it  becomes  almost 
automatic  after  it  has  been  performed  a  number  of 
times. 

It  begins  in  the  dining-room  with  clearing  the 
table.  Two  people  remain  after  the  meal  is  over. 
One  stands  on  one  side  of  the  table  and  passes  the 
dishes  to  the  other  who  has  the  wheel  cart  on  her 
right.  All  the  dishes  being  placed  within  her 
reach,  the  housekeeper  scrapes  each  dish  with  the 


DAILY  CARE  OF  KITCHEN          177 

plate  scraper,  and  piles  each  size  by  itself  on  the 
cart.  The  silver  is  all  placed  on  one  empty  dish. 

The  assistant  meanwhile  gathers  up  the  salt  and 
pepper,  napkins,  bibs,  doilies  and  any  miscellaneous 
articles  that  do  not  go  to  the  kitchen,  and  puts  them 
away  in  their  proper  places.  As  the  housemother 
wheels  the  cart  out  to  the  kitchen  the  assistant  folds 
up  the  table-cloth,  runners  or  doilies  and  puts  them 
away.  If  the  table-cloth  is  a  lorig  one,  the  house- 
mother assists  in  folding  it  before  going  out  to  the 
kitchen. 

The  sink  has  a  drain-board  at  the  left,  if  there 
is  room  for  but  one  drain-board.  On  it  is  the  dish 
drainer  which  is  twenty  inches  square,  and  has  wire 
supports  to  hold  the  dishes.  (See  frontispiece.) 

In  our  kitchenette  at  the  Housekeeping  Experi- 
ment Station  we  are  working  out  the  Minimum 
Space  problem,  and  therefore  the  single  left-hand 
drain-board  is  all  that  is  possible.  We  find  it  in 
some  wrays  an  advantage.  The  dishes  are  handled 
directly  from  the  wheel  cart,  instead  of  being  trans- 
ferred from  it  to  the  right-hand  drain-board;  and 
thus  an  extra  handling  is  saved. 

The  housemother  then  stands  at  the  sink  with 
the  wheel  cart  at  her  left.  She  fills  her  pan  with 
very  hot  water,  without  soap,  puts  the  silver  in  one 
end  to  soak,  dips  the  tumblers  in  one  by  one  and 
transfers  them  to  a  dish  on  the  wheel  cart  to  be 
wiped  at  once.  She  has  just  about  time  to  wash 
and  wipe  the  glasses  while  the  assistant  is  brushing 


1 78          THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

up  crumbs  in  the  dining-room  and  putting  away  the 
food.  Next  she  places  the  piles  of  dishes  in  her 
dish-pan,  being  careful  not  to  rest  them  on  the  silver 
which  has  been  left  in  the  pan  to  soak.  Each  piece 
of  china  is  taken  up  in  the  left  hand,  washed  with 
the  handle  mop  held  in  the  right,  and  placed  in  the 
rack  on  the  left-hand  drain-board  to  dry.  By  this 
time  the  china  is  washed  and  water  is  cool  enough 
to  plunge  the  hands  in  and  wash  the  silver  without 
any  discomfort.  Next  all  left-over  pots  and  pans 
are  washed,  though  these  should  be  few,  as  cook- 
ing dishes  ought,  as  far  as  possible,  to  be  washed 
and  put  away  while  the  preparation  of  the  meal 
is  in  progress.  Any  that  have  not  been  so  done, 
or  any  that  needed  soaking,  are  attended  to  last 
of  all  \vhen  the  dining-room  dishes  are  out  of  the 
way.  Finally  the  water  is  poured  out,  the  dish-pan 
wiped  and  hung  up,  the  sink-rack  wiped  and  placed 
near  the  radiator  to  dry.  The  sink  should  be  wiped 
out  with  Dutch  Cleanser  or  Porcela,  and  flushed 
thoroughly  with  very  hot  water.  The  dish-cloth 
and  towels  should  be  rinsed  in  clean  w^ater  and 
hung  up  to  dry. 

In  the  meantime  the  assistant  has  finished  her 
duties,  and  has  taken  the  dishes  from  the  rack  and 
given  them  the  necessary  wiping,  piled  them  up  and 
put  them  away.  If  very  hot  water  is  used  for  wash- 
ing and  rinsing,  as  is  usually  the  case,  most  of  the 
dishes  dry  without  any  wiping.  For  a  family  of 


DAILY  CARE  OF  KITCHEN          179 

five,   the   entire   process   does  not  take  more  than 
twenty  minutes  to  half  an  hour. 

The  advantage  of  this  method  is  that  it  offers 
an  opportunity  to  the  children  to  work  with  their 
mother,  giving  them  valuable  training  while  they 
are  greatly  lightening  a  rather  dreary  task.  Where 
there  are  no  children  it  cultivates  in  grown-ups 
the  habit  of  burden-sharing  and  comradeship  in  the 
daily  tasks,  thus  transforming  the  whole  atmos- 
phere of  the  home  from  one  of  drudgery  to  happy 
cooperation  and  companionship  in  work  for  the  com- 
mon benefit. 

CARE  OF  THE  HANDS 

After  dish-washing  or  any  other  kitchen  task 
which  is  hard  on  the  hands,  wash  them  carefully  in 
Ivory  soap  suds  and  corn  meal  until  all  the  dirt  is 
removed.  Then  wipe  dry  and  rub  a  little  glycerine 
lotion  on  the  hands.  This  keeps  the  hands  soft  and 
white.* 

At  the  Housekeeping  Experiment  Station  we 
have  a  white  enameled  sink,  a  zinc-covered  work- 
table  and  aluminum  utensils  for  cooking.  This 
equipment  greatly  simplifies  the  dish-washing  proc- 
ess. Aluminum  ware  is  kept  clean  by  boiling  up 
the  utensils  with  clear  water  on  the  stove.  If 
badly  stained  the  discolorations  may  be  removed  by 
adding  one  teaspoon ful  of  oxalic  acid  to  the  water 

*  Glycerine  lotion  consists  of  equal  parts  of  glycerine  and 
bay  rum  or  glycerine  and  alcohol.  A  bottle  of  this,  as  well  as 
a  small  jar  of  corn  meal  should  be  kept  on  the  shelf  above 
the  kitchen  sink. 


180          THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

and  boiling  for  five  to  ten  minutes.  If  this  is  not 
enough,  dip  a  moist  cloth  into  Dutch  Cleanser  or 
Dutch  Cleanser  and  powdered  bath-brick,  and  rub 
the  surface  until  the  stain  disappears.  Special  di- 
rections are  given  elsewhere  for  precautions  in  the 
use  of  aluminum  ware. 

In  the  daily  care  of  the  kitchen  and  its  equip- 
ment the  following  cleaning  materials  will  be  found 
extremely  valuable.  They  take  up  but  little  space 
and  are  convenient  in  numberless  emergencies  that 
continually  arise  in  every  household.  They  are  the 
basis  for  most  of  the  cleaning  preparations  widely 
advertised  and  selling  at  high  prices: 

Denatured  alcohol.  Rotten-stone. 

Alum.  Salt. 

Ammonia.  Separator  oil. 

Bath-Brick.  Soap. 
Black  lead   (for  coal  stove  Vinegar. 

only.)  Washing  soda. 

Kerosene.  Floor  wax. 

Olive  oil.  Whiting. 

The   housekeeper   will   also   need: 

An  apron  of  heavy  denim   Some  Canton  flannel. 

or  oil-cloth.  Some  heavy  flannel. 

A  piece  of  Brussels  carpet.   Flannel  for  waxing. 

A  chamois  skin.  Flannelette  for  dusters. 

A     few    yards    of  cheese  Rubber  gloves. 

cloth.  A  5  cent  mitt  for  kerosene. 

A  scrub  cloth.  A   supply  of   cotton   waste 

A  soft  cloth.  (sold  at  hardware  stores). 

The  following  is  a  list  of  necessary  cleaning  im- 
plements and  tools: 

Bottle  brush    $     .25   Dauber   $     .25 

Cornice   brush 50  2  Tin  funnels 20 


DAILY  CARE  OF  KITCHEN          181 

Scrub  brush,  .15  to.  .       .25  2  Hand  basins 40 

Painters'  soft  camel's       .  Dry  mop  or  dustless 

hair  brush 75       mop,  .60  to   1.50 

Radiator    brush 35  Self-wringing   mop..      1.50 

Vegetable         brushes  Old  sauce-pan. 

(two)    10   Step  ladder   2.25 

Broqm    50   Whisk  broom 25 

Long-handled       floor  Hammer    $p 

brush     i.oo  Monkey  wrench   ....      i.oo 

Carpet   sweeper,   best  Screw   driver 75 

grade  $4.50,  or  Tack  puller 25 

Vacuum     cleaner,    . . 

$5.00  to  135.00 

HOUSEKEEPERS'  TOOLS 

A  handy  box  of  housekeepers'  tools  and  imple- 
ments can  be  purchased  for  $2.50.  Or  a  home- 
made wooden  box  with  sliding  cover  can  be  fitted 
tip  at  a  cost  of  about  $1.50.  Seven  by  13  inches  is 
a  convenient  size.  It  should  contain  the  following 
outfit : 

Long  narrow  hammer. 

Screw  driver. 

Tack  puller. 

Awl. 

Assorted  tacks  of  the  following  sizes:  one  package  of 
each:  12  oz.,  8  oz.,  6  oz.,  4  oz.,  3  oz.,  2  oz.  Also  matting 
tacks,  double  pointed,  japanned  and  steel,  8  oz.  size;  as- 
sorted i-in.  wire  brads,  i-in.  wire  nails,  etc.;  box  of  up- 
holstery tacks;  box  of  assorted  screws  in  sizes  from  i-in. 
down;  screw-eyes,  i  doz.,  each  medium  and  larger  size; 
round  and  square  cup-hooks,  I  doz  each. 

CARE  OF  THE  SINK 

The  care  of  an  enamel  or  porcelain  sink  is  a  very 
simple  matter.  The  bottom  should  be  protected 
with  a  wooden  rack  or  rubber  mat  to  protect  the 
surface  from  scratches.  Enamel,  if  once  scratched, 


1 82          THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

cannot  be  repaired,  so  it  is  important  to  prevent  this. 
After  each  dish-washing  the  rack  should  be  re- 
moved. The  sink  should  be  washed  with  hot,  soapy 
water,  flushed  thoroughly  with  hot  wrater,  rinsed 
and  dried.  This  will  remove  all  odors  of  strong 
vegetables,  and  will  keep  grease  from  adhering  to 
the  pipes.  Where  dishes  are  scraped  before  wash- 
ing and  all  grease  is  removed  from  frying  pans 
very  little  care  of  the  sink  drain  will  be  necessary. 
In  the  ordinary  home,  however,  grease  finds  its  way 
in  quantities  down  the  sink  drain,  and  a  daily  appli- 
cation of  strong  soda  is  necessary  to  prevent  grease 
from  adhering  to  the  sides  of  the  pipes.  Where 
daily  care  is  exercised  this  need  be  done  only  once  a 
week.  Whether  daily  or  weekly,  the  process  of 
flushing  the  pipes  is  as  follows: 

Make  a  strong  solution  of  soda,  in  the  proportion 
of  one-third  cup  of  sal  soda  to  one  quart  of  water. 
Bring  to  a  boil  in,  an  old  saucepan  which  may  be 
kept  for  this  work.  Stir  with  a  \vooden  stick  which 
can  be  burned  up  afterward.  Place  a  tin  funnel  in 
sink  plug  hole  and  pour  down  the  quart  of  boiling 
soda  solution.  Be  careful  not  to  let  the  soda  get 
on  the  hands  or  drain  boards.  In  half  an  hour  plug 
the  sink,  fill  with  hot  water,  remove  the  plug  and  let 
the  rush  of  water  finish  cleaning  the  trap. 

To  clean  an  iron  sink  daily,  pour  a  small  amount 
of  kerosene  in  the  sink  and  wipe  thoroughly  with 
newspaper,  which  should  afterward  be  burned.  The 
kerosene  cuts  the  grease  as  nothing  else  will. 


DAILY  CARE  OF  KITCHEN          183 

CARE  OF  FRYING  PANS 

If  grease  has  not  been  allowed  to  burn  in  the  fry- 
ing pan  it  may  be  strained  through  a  cloth  or  fine 
wire  strainer  and  used  again.  If  burnt  pour  in 
the  garbage  can.  Under  no  circumstances  allow  it 
to  go  down  the  sink  drain.  Wipe  the  utensil  with 
soft  newspaper  to  remove  all  grease;  then  wash, 
using  plenty  of  soapy  water,  rinse  thoroughly  and 
dry.  If  the  frying  pan  is  of  aluminum  ware  it 
needs  no  drying.  Iron  or  tin  ware  should  be  dried 
in  the  warming  oven  of  a  coal  range  or  on  the  radi- 
ator grill  in  a  gas  kitchen  before  being  put  away. 
It  is  a  bad  practice  to  dry  out  wet  articles  in  the 
oven  of  a  gas  stove,  as  it  makes  it  rust. 

Soda  solution  should  never  be  used  on  aluminum 
ware,  but  is  a  very  good  thing  for  iron.  Scouring 
the  inside  of  iron  or  steel  utensils  with  any  kind  of 
sand-soap  or  mineral  soap  makes  the  surface  smooth 
and  bright. 

CARE  OF  ALUMINUM 

If  aluminum  is  not  used  for  vegetables  with 
strong  acid  or  when  boiling  eggs,  it  will  not  discolor 
and  needs  very  little  care.  Before  using  any  polish 
fill  the  utensil  with  water  and  bring  to  a  boil  on  the 
stove.  For  bad  discolorations  add  oxalic  acid  to 
the  water  in  the  proportion  of  one  teaspoonful  of 
acid  to  two  quarts  of  water.  If  the  stain  still  re- 
mains rub  the  surface  with  a  damp  cloth  dipped  in 
whiting  or  Dutch  Cleanser.  Black  spots  made  by 
allowing  food  to  "  burn  on  "  can  be  removed  by 


1 84          THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

subjecting  the  utensil  for  a  minute  or  two  to  in- 
tense heat  in  a  gas  oven.  This  must  be  carefully 
watched,  as  aluminum  will  melt  if  heat  is  applied 
too  long. 

CARE  OF  BRASS,  COPPER  OR  TIN 

Rub  the  surface  first  with  a  cloth  dipped  in  vine- 
gar or  lemon  juice.  Then  rub  thoroughly  with  a 
paste  made  of  rotton-stone  and  oil.  Polish  with  a 
dry  cloth.  Greasy  brass  must  first  be  scrubbed  with 
soapsuds  or  sal  soda  solution  before  using  special 
brass  polish.  The  acid  application  is  used  to  re- 
move the  tarnish.  Rotten-stone  takes  up  the  super- 
fluous acid  and  completes  the  polishing  process.  If 
this  second  process  is  not  thorough  the  brass  soon 
tarnishes  again. 

CARE  OF  GRANITE  WARE 

Granite  ware  utensils  should  be  placed  in  a  cold 
solution  of  soda  in  the  proportion  of  one-half ,  cup 
soda  to  one  quart  of  water.  They  should  be 
brought  to  a  boil  and  boiled  for  an  hour,  or  until  the 
dirt  rinses  off  readily,  and  then  rinsed  in  the  sink 
with  clear  water.  If  the  stain  is  not  removed  scour 
utensils  with  bath-brick  or  sapolio.  In  emptying 
the  strong  soda  water  from  the  kettle  in  which  uten- 
sils were  boiled,  be  careful  to  pour  through  a  funnel 
directly  into  the  sink  drain.  Otherwise  the  soda 
will  act  on  the  metal  of  which  the  sink-plug  is 
made. 


DAILY  CARE  OF  KITCHEN          185 

CLEANING  NICKEL  WARE 

Nickel  can  be  kept  bright  by  washing  with  hot 
soapsuds  and  wiping  dry.  If  it  needs  polishing  use 
a  paste  made  by  mixing  whiting  with  ammonia. 
The  paste  should  be  about  the  consistency  of  milk, 
and  should  be  applied  with  a  flannel  cloth  and 
rubbed  well  into  the  crevices.  Let  it  dry,  then  rub 
off  the  whiting  and  polish  with  a  dry  woolen  cloth. 
There  is  an  excellent  prepared  nickel  polish  on  the 
market. 

Badly  stained  nickel  can  be  cleaned  by  boiling  it 
in  vinegar  and  alum  mixture  until  stains  begin  to 
disappear,  then  polishing  it  again.  The  directions 
for  making  vinegar  and  alum  mixture  are  as  fol- 
lows: 

Vinegar  and  alum  mixture: 

2  oz.  powdered  alum. 

I  qt.  strong  vinegar. 

Boil  the  vinegar.  Add  the  alum  and  stir  until 
dissolved.  Apply  hot.  If  the  nickel  has  become 
badly  stained,  it  may  be  boiled  in  the  mixture  before 
it  is  polished.  Boil  until  the  stains  begin  to  disap- 
pear. Mixture  should  be  kept  in  a  tightly  corked 
bottle. 

CLEANING  SILVER 

These  directions  apply  only  to  the  bright  sil- 
ver finish.  Burnished  silver  should  not  be  cleaned 
with  any  chemical.  There  are  several  methods. 

i.  Place  the  articles  to  be  cleaned  in  a  large  alu- 
minum kettle.     Cover  with   boiling  water  in 


1 86          THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

which  is  dissolved  one  heaping  tablespoon ful 
of  baking  soda  and  one  tablespoonful  of  salt 
to  every  quart  of  water.  Let  it  come  to  a  boil 
and  boil  five  minutes.  Rinse  and  wipe  dry. 
Forty  pieces  of  silver  may  be  cleaned  in  this 
way  in  twenty  minutes. 

2.  Use  scrap  zinc  in  an  agate  ware  dish,  the  same 

solution  and  the  same  method. 

3.  In  small  families  there  need  be  no  weekly  clean- 

ing of  silver  if  a  small  bottle  of  whiting  be 
kept  on  the  sink  shelf  and  each  piece  rubbed 
up  as  needed,  in  connection  with  the  dish-wash- 
ing process.  The  method  of  cleaning  silver 
with  whiting  is  to  dampen  a  cloth  and  dip  it 
in  the  whiting,  rubbing  the  silver  over  with  it. 
When  the  whiting  has  dried,  rub  it  off  with 
another  soft  cloth  and  polish  with  chamois  skin. 
For  ornamental  work  use  an  old  tooth-brush. 
Egg-stained  or  badly  tarnished  silver  should 
be  rubbed  over  with  salt  before  applying  the 
whiting. 

CLEANING  ZINC 

Rub  with  a  flannel  cloth  moistened  with  a  little 
kerosene  or  use  scourine  or  Dutch  Cleanser  to  take 
off  the  spots.  Then  polish  with  a  mixture  of  vine- 
gar and  alum. 

CLEANING  STEEL   KNIVES  AND  FORKS 

Scour  with  powdered  bath-brick,  using  a  cork 
dipped  in  oil  or  water,  and  then  into  the  powdered 


C/3 


>      03 
O      O 


2-1 


57} 


DAILY  CARE  OF  KITCHEN          187 

bath-brick.  Steel  knives  that  are  to  be  packed 
away  for  some  time  ought  to  be  very  carefully 
dried  before  putting  away. 

DAILY  CARE  OF  THE  KITCHEN  STOVE 
The  gas  stove  should  be  brushed  clean  with  a 
small  brush  and  wiped  over  with  a  cloth  dipped  in 
linseed  oil.  The  oil  should  be  used  very  sparingly. 
Use  a  few  drops  only  on  a  flannel  cloth.  This  small 
amount  will  penetrate  the  cloth  thoroughly  if  left 
over  night.  And  a  cloth  so  prepared  remains  in 
good  service  for  two  weeks,  at  the  end  of  which  time 
it  should  be  washed  out  in  strong  suds,  dried  and 
given  a  new  application  of  oil.  Being  inflammable 
it  should  be  kept  in  a  tin  box  when  not  in  use.  The 
drip  pan  under  the  gas  burners  should  be  washed 
when  necessary.  With  careful  management  this 
need  not  be  done  more  than  once  a  week. 

The  coal  range  must  not  be  cleaned  while  it  is 
hot.  Let  it  cool  down  while  you  are  at  breakfast 
or  dinner.  After  the  dishes  are  washed  brush  the 
stove  clean  of  crumbs,  dust,  ashes,  etc.  Dampen 
the  stove-cloth  slightly  with  kerosene  and  rub  up 
the  top  of  the  stove  and  all  nickel  parts  with  this. 
Many  of  the  best  housekeepers  never  use  blacking 
on  the  top  of  the  stove.  This  prevents  the  staining 
of  flat-irons  and  utensils  with  stove-blacking. 

DAILY  CARE  OF  THE  KITCHEN  FLOOR 
If  the  floor  is  covered  with  linoleum  the  daily 
care  in  most  cases  is  just  brushing  up  with  a  long- 


1 88          THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

handled  mop.  Where  there  are  creeping  children 
who  occasionally  find  their  way  into  the  kitchen  it 
is  better  to  mop  up  the  linoleum  daily,  using  a  damp- 
ened floor-cloth  only,  just  to  remove  the  dust. 

The  cold  closet  and  refrigerator  ought  to  be  gone 
over  every  day  and  all  left-over  food  disposed  of, 
cither  included  in  the  menus  of  the  next  few  days 
or  thrown  away.  If  care  is  taken  in  the  marketing 
and  adapting  each  day's  recipes  to  the  size  of  the 
family,  there  will  be  very  little  left-over  food  to 
trouble  one. 

It  is  a  good  rule  to  cook  just  enough  to  go  round 
of  certain  things  that  are  not  good  warmed  over, 
to  cook  double  quantities  of  foods  that  are  just  as 
good  the  second  day,  and  always  to  have  an  abun- 
dant supply  of  the  essentials,  such  as  bread,  milk, 
eggs  and  fruit.  If  a  family  is  fond  of  cake  and 
cookies,  always  keep  plenty  of  these  on  hand. 
Where  there  is  an  abundance  of  the  essentials  it  is 
not  noticed  if  there  is  only  one  baked  potato  to  go 
around,  or  one  serving  of  any  special  delicacy. 

The  whole  secret  of  wise  kitchen  management 
is  to  keep  your  kitchen  and  utensils  so  clean  all  the 
time  that  there  will  not  need  to  be  any  grand  "clarin' 
up  spells " ;  to  cook  the  more  permanent  supplies 
in  quantity,  and  to  carefully  adjust  the  menus  to 
the  daily  consumption,  so  as  not  to  be  bothered  with 
"  left-overs  "  in  amounts  that  are  only  a  nuisance. 

The  sanitary  care  of  the  kitchen  includes  special 
attention  to  the  containers  of  food.  They  should  be 


1 
DAILY  CARE  OF  KITCHEN          189 

scalded  out  and  sunned  once  a  week  in  ordinary 
weather,  and  two  or  three  times  a  week  in  hot 
weather.  The  refrigerator,  cold  closet,  bread  and 
cake  boxes  should  all  receive  daily  care.  The  san- 
itary care  of  garbage  is  discussed  in  Chapter  XII. 


XIV 
THE  LAUNDRY  PROBLEM 

THE  consideration  of  the  laundry  problem 
does  not  properly  belong  to  a  study  of  the 
kitchen  and  its  equipment.  We  strongly 
recommend  taking  all  such  work  out  of  the  kitchen 
and  making  provision  for  it  in  some  other  way. 
The  kitchen  is  no  place  for  laundry  work.  Had 
housekeepers  realized  this  long  ago,  cooperative 
laundries  would  have  flourished.  Or  at  least  we 
should  have  had  wash-houses  for  neighborhood 
work,  where  each  family  might  have,  once  a  week, 
the  use  of  a  room  and  suitable  laundry  equipment. 

In  many  homes  where  the  stationary  laundry  tubs 
have  been  located  in  the  kitchen,  it  is  possible  to  have 
them  taken  out  and  placed  in  the  basement  or  to 
have  a  small  laundry  built  at  the  rear  of  the  kitchen. 
This  plan  is  recommended  wherever  it  is  possible 
to  make  the  change.  In  every  case  where  it  has 
been  done,  the  housekeeper  is  enthusiastic  over  the 
added  convenience. 

In  building  a  new  house  it  is  desirable  to  make  the 
kitchen  small  and  to  build  the  laundry  next  to  it  on 
the  same  floor.  The  room  need  not  be  large,  but 
it  ought  to  have  good  light  and  a  place  for  station- 

190 


THE  LAUNDRY  PROBLEM  191 

ary  or  portable  tubs  and  for  an  ironing  board  that 
is  always  in  position  for  work.  (See  Fig.  37.)  A 
small  closet  to  hold  the  laundry  equipment  is  also  a 
necessity.  The  chemicals  for  removing  stains  should 
be  kept  on  the  top  shelf  of  this  closet.  Javelle  water, 
borax,  ammonia,  oxalic  acid  and  common  table  salt 
are  the  ones  most  frequently  used.  The  wash-boiler 
may  be  heated  on  a  small  laundry  stove  which  also 
heats  the  supply  of  hot  water  for  the  kitchen,  or  on  a 
two-burner  gas  plate  stove  which  can  be  located  in 
the  laundry.  Such  a  room  is  valuable  even  if  wash- 
ing is  never  done  at  home,  as  it  is  a  place  where 
clothing  may  be  brushed  and  cleaned  and  where 
clothes  may  be  pressed  whenever  necessary.  It  is  a 
great  advantage  to  have  a  6-inch  shelf  fastened  to 
the  wall,  on  which  the  tan  and  white  shoes  of  the 
family  may  be  left  when  drying,  and  where  the 
blacking  and  shoe-cleaning  materials  may  be  kept. 

When  one  lives  in  a  rented  house  and  cannot 
assume  the  expense  of  changing  the  location  of  the 
laundry  tubs,  it  is  the  part  of  wisdom  to  reduce  as 
much  as  possible  the  amount  of  washing  to  be  done 
in  the  kitchen.  This  is  done  by  sending  to  the 
laundry  all  the  "  flat  work."  Fine  table  linen 
and  bed  linen  cannot  safely  be  sent  out,  but  the  ordi- 
nary grades  are  done  very  satisfactorily  and  at  mod- 
erate price.  The  gain  in  reducing  the  volume  of 
washing  is  also  felt  on  rainy  days  when  it  is  a  prob- 
lem to  dry  the  clothes. 

The  invention  of  the  electric  iron  has  made  it 


i92          THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

possible  to  have  the  ironing  done  outside  the  kitchen 
even  if  the  washing  must  still  be  carried  on  there. 
Housekeepers  who  cannot  change  the  tubs  will 
often  be  able  to  fit  up  a  little  upstairs  room  for  the 
ironing.  In  this  room  all  the  equipment  for  iron- 
ing should  be  kept,  the  ironing  board,  the  sleeve 
board,  wax,  iron,  clothes-horse,  cheese-cloth  or 
paper  toweling  for  pressing,  a  heavy  Turkish 
towel  for  ironing  embroidered  pieces  and  a  hamper 
to  hold  the  clean  clothes  before  they  are  dampened 
and  folded  for  ironing.  Such  a  room  will  have 
many  of  the  advantages  of  the  specially  built  laun- 
dry. 

Wise  housekeepers  are  able  greatly  to  reduce  the 
amount  of  ironing  to  be  done  by  purchasing  the 
kind  of  underclothing  and  shirt-waists  that  do  not 
require  ironing.  There  is  abundant  selection  of 
such  things  now  to  choose  from,  including  knitted 
underwear,  crinkled  seersucker  garments  and  crepe 
waists  and  dresses.  Small  Turkish  towels  may  be 
substituted  for  linen  and  huck  towels,  and  paper  tow- 
eling for  kitchen  and  bathroom  use  reduces  both  the 
amount  of  washing  and  ironing.  The  idea  in  this 
case,  as  in  so  many  others,  is  to  study  out  the  special 
conditions  that  affect  the  washing  and  ironing  prob- 
lem differently  in  each  individual  family  and  make 
such  a  solution  of  them  that  you  will  secure  the  best 
results  with  the  minimum  of  care  and  anxiety. 
Buy  the  right  kind  of  things  and  make  arrangements 
to  have  an  abundance  of  clean  clothing,  even  if  it 


THE  LAUNDRY  PROBLEM          193 

is  not  ironed,  and  then  have  everything  that  needs 
careful  ironing  given  the  expert  attention  that  it 
needs.  To  secure  these  results  with  peace  of  mind 
you  will  need  the  following  outfit  of  labor-saving 
equipment. 

LABOR-SAVING  LAUNDRY  EQUIPMENT 
Of  the  three  chief  labor-savers  for  the  laundry, 
the  most  important  is  the  electric  iron. 

A  good  electric  iron  for  family  use  weighs  six 
pounds,  and  should  be  connected  with  undetachable 
cord  at  its  base.  It  takes  an  electrician  to  deter- 
mine whether  an  electric  iron  is  well  made.  There- 
fore this  implement  should  not  be  bought  on  the  ad- 
vice of  some  irresponsible  agent,  or  because  it  looks 
all  right.  It  should  be  of  a  reliable  make.  A 
poorly  constructed  iron  that  is  always  getting  out 
of  order  may  cost  so  much  in  repairs  that  it  would 
pay  to  throw  it  away  and  buy  a  good  one.  Further- 
more, it  always  gives  out  just  when  you  need  it  most, 
and  cannot  be  repaired  except  by  sending  for  an 
electrician.  For  all  these  reasons  it  is  important 
to  have  a  serviceable  implement  or  none  at  all.  An 
electric  iron  of  the  best  type  costs  $5.00. 

The  using  of  an  electric  iron  has  many  advan- 
tages : 

1.  If  used  in  the  kitchen   it   does   not   interfere 
with  the  use  of  the  cook-stove. 

2.  It  saves  the  time  and  energy  spent  in  walking 
to  and  from  the  stove  to  re-heat  the  ordinary 
iron. 


194          THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

3.  It  acts  as  a  sort  of  pace-maker  to  maintain  a 

rapid  rate  of  work.  As  it  is  easier  to  keep  up 
to  the  pace  of  the  iron  than  to  constantly  turn 
the  current  on  or  off,  the  natural  tendency  is 
to  accelerate  one's  rate  of  work. 

4.  It  makes  it  possible  to  do  the  ironing  whenever 

it  is  most  convenient,  instead  of  selecting  the 
time  when  the  fire  in  the  range  is  at  its  best, 
or  when  the  exigencies  of  cooking  permit. 

5.  It  enables  the  worker  to  choose  a  cool  location 
for  her  work,  since  the  electricity  does  not  af- 
fect the  temperature  of  the  room. 

6.  Ironing  may  be  done  sitting  down  if  a  stool  of 

the  right  height  is  kept  on  hand. 

7.  It  is  very  convenient  for  pressing  the  garments 
of  the  family,  especially  summer  dresses. 

8.  The  cost  is  negligible,  since  an  electric  iron  soon 

pays  for  itself  in  the  time  it  saves. 

.       THE  VACUUM  WASHER 

While  electric  washing  machines  are  a  great  com- 
fort in  any  home  where  they  can  be  afforded,  and  a 
necessity  and  economy  in  large  families,  they  are, 
generally  speaking,  beyond  the  average  means.  No 
one,  however,  need  be  without  some  form  of  serv- 
iceable washing  machine,  since  excellent  small 
vacuum  washers  are  now  on  the  market,  at  prices 
ranging  from  $1.50  up  to  $6.00.  The  advantage  of 
these  small  machines  is  that  they  can  be  used  with 
any  outfit.  They  are  equally  adaptable  to  set  tubs 


THE  LAUNDRY  PROBLEM  195 

or  portable  tubs.  Most  of  them  give  best  results 
when  used  in  connection  with  a  boiler  placed  on  a 
laundry  stove  of  the  right  height.  The  washer  is 
used  while  the  clothes  are  in  the  boiler  on  the  stove, 
and  the  temperature  is  thus  maintained  at  a  higher 
degree  than  would  be  possible  in  the  tubs.  After 
the  first  boilerful  of  clothes  is  finished,  the  clothes 
are  put  through  the  rinse  water,  and  the  washer  is 
used  also  in  the  rinsing.  These  washers  are  inval- 
uable in  emergencies  and  for  washing  blankets, 
which  one  dare  not  send  out  unless  one  knows  of 
exceptional  laundries  or  cleaning  establishments. 

In  well-appointed  laundries  the  ironing-board 
rests  on  an  iron  foot  which  supports  it  firmly,  ex- 
tending part  way  under  the  board  so  that  it  is  kept 
firm  and  immovable.  Such  ironing-boards  cost 
about  $15. 

The  same  result  can  be  secured  in  the  private 
home  by  an  ingenious  method  of  fastening  the  board 
at  one  end  to  the  side  wall  of  the  room  by  hinges. 
When  in  use  it  is  firmly  supported.  At  other  times 
it  is_  folded  back  against  the  wall.  Figure  37 
shows  how  such  an  arrangement  looks  both  in  posi- 
tion for  use  and  when  folded  back.  If  desirable  it 
may  be  enclosed  in  a  wall  cupboard  when  not  in  use. 
With  this  and  an  electric  iron  it  is  possible  to  do 
the  ironing  in  any  room  that  may  be  conveniently 
used  for  this  purpose,  and  the  outfit  is  always  ready 
for  immediate  use.  It  is  made  by  fastening  a  strip 
of  wood  one  inch  thick  and  three  inches  wide  to  the 


196 


THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 


under  side  of  the  ironing  board  by  means  of  a  hinge. 
A  strap  hinge  fastens  the  ironing-board  itself  to  a 
brace  on  the  wall.  When  in  position  the  leg  rests 


FIG.  37. —  Ironing  board,  which,  when  not 
in  use,  can  be  folded  back  into  a  shal- 
low cupboard  built  in  for  it. 

against  the  wall.  When  folded  up  the  board  is 
fastened  to  the  side- wall  by  means  of  a  hook  and 
eye. 

A  Clothes  Boiler  of  copper,  or  at  least  with  cop- 
per bottom  and  of  the  best  grade  of  block  tin,  is 
another  desirable  addition  to  the  light  laundry  out- 
fit. Used  in  connection  \vith  the  vacuum  washer, 
or  even  where  clothes  are  washed  by  the  paraffine 
method,  it  is  indispensable.  A  very  instructive 
government  bulletin  gives  directions  for  fitting  a 


THE  LAUNDRY  PROBLEM  197 

bottom  to  this  boiler,  making  it  a  valuable  utensil 
far  canning  fruit  and  vegetables.  While  it  cannot 
be  considered  a  necessity  for  light  laundry  work,  as 
can  the  three  appliances  already  described,  it  is  a 
most  valuable  and  useful  addition  to  the  laundry 
equipment,  and  a  necessity  when  clothes  are  washed 
by  the  ordinary  method. 

Three  portable,  galvanized  iron  tubs  (where  station- 
ary tubs  are  not  installed)  $3-75 

Clothes  stick  (an  old  broom-stick  with  rounded  ends) 

Three  dozen  clothes-pins  and  clothes-pin  bag  or 

basket  75 

Clothes  line.  The  best  kind  is  rope.  Keep  in  a  bag 

when  not  in  use.  Cost  per  100  feet 65 

Six-foot  piece  of  rubber  hose,  ^  incn  size>  fitted  at 
one  end  with  screw  threads  to  attach  to  faucet. 
Saves  all  trouble  in  filling  portable  tubs 60 

Enameled  ware  dish  pan  for  washing  out  small 
pieces,  or  for  use  in  starching,  or  carrying 
clothes  back  and  forth  from  the  boiler 75 

Clothes  horse   1.50 

Clothes  basket   1.25 

$9-25 

In  addition  to  the  above  special  laundry  equipment,  cer- 
tain kitchen  utensils  are  necessary,  and  may  be  borrowed 
from  the  regular  kitchen  outfit  for  occasional  use.  If 
washing  is  done  regularly  at  home,  it  will  be  better  to 
buy  a  separate  set  of  the  following  articles: 

Enameled  saucepan,  capacity  5  to  6  qts.,  for  making 

starch    $  .50 

Tea-kettle,  enamel  ware   75 

i  tablespoon  (for  measuring  and  stirring) 50 

i  teaspoon  (for  measuring  and  stirring) 05 

i  agate  or  tin  measuring  cup 05 

i  quart  measure   15 

$2.00 


198          THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

With  such  an  outfit  it  is  possible  to  be  quite  inde- 
pendent of  the  laundry  question.  One  can  send 
the  entire  washing  out,  or  part  of  it  out,  or  have  it 
all  done  at  home.  It  is  perfectly  possible  to  do  one 
thing  one  week  and  try  another  the  ne*t  without 
serious  adjustment.  The  expense  of  the  outfit  is 
not  large,  and  in  these  transition  days,  when  the  old 
resources  are  failing  and  the  new  ones  have  not 
become  fully  established,  it  is  the  part  of  wisdom  to 
be  fully  prepared  for  any  emergency. 


XV 
THE  BUSINESS   SIDE  OF  THE  KITCHEN 

EVEN    more    important    than    the    work    of 
the    kitchen    is    the    business    side    of    the 
kitchen.     This    involves    such    an    orderly 
record    of    costs,    of    work    done    and    experience 
gained,  as  will  serve  as  a  guide  in  administering  the 
family  budget,  and  finally  in  achieving  the  results 
which  are  the  object  and  goal  of  all  effort  toward 
real  home-making. 

The  business  management  of  the  kitchen  falls 
logically  into  three  main  divisions :  The  keeping 
of  accounts;  the  purchasing  and  care  of  supplies; 
and  the  keeping  of  kitchen  records.  The  last 
includes  favorite  recipes  and  useful  memoranda, 
more  especially  the  sort  of  information  that  cannot 
be  found  in  books  or  libraries.  Of  such  are  data 
relating  to  new  and  untried  equipment;  addresses 
and  exact  names  of  reliable  tradesmen,  valuable 
equipment  or  desirable  brands  of  supplies;  memo- 
randa of  the  particular  needs  in  your  special  cir- 
cumstances, which  perhaps,  as  they  may  not  apply 
to  any  other  conditions,  will  never  find  their  way 
into  print. 

Account-keeping  for  the  home  is  made  exceed- 
199 


200          THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

ingly  simple  nowadays  because  the  whole  business 
world  is  organized  on  one  of  two  systems,  either 
that  of  cash  payments  or  monthly  settlements.  Ac- 
counts cannot  be  allowed  to  run  on  and  on  indefi- 
nitely as  they  did  a  few  years  ago.  Frequent 
settlements  at  regular  intervals  make  it  easy  for 
the  housekeeper  to  form  the  habit  of  paying  bills 
at  a  certain  time  each  month,  and  making  out  a 
monthly  statement  of  the  various  ways  in  which 
the  money  has  been  spent. 

In  learning  to  live  wisely  on  a  given  income,  the 
first  step  is  to  make  in  advance  a  theoretical  budget 
apportioning  one's  income  as  seems  best  to  the 
various  departments  of  living  expense.  Then  keep 
track  of  the  actual  expenses,  and  compare  the 
amounts  spent  with  the  theoretical  budget  decided 
upon.  It  often  happens  that  what  seems  best  in 
theory  does  not  work  out  well  in  practice.  After 
a  few  months'  experience  it  is  possible  to  make  a 
division  that  is  much  better  suited  to  the  individual 
need. 

For  instance,  economists  have  worked  out  an  ap- 
portionment of  income  which  is  a  safe  guide  for 
most  housekeepers  as  a  starting-point :  So  much 
for  rent;  so  much  for  operating  expense;  so  much 
for  food,  for  clothing,  for  the  "higher  life,"  etc. 
But  when  one  attempts  to  actually  make  this  ap- 
portionment, it  is  often  found  to  be  impossible  to 
maintain  the  standard  of  living  and  keep  within  the 
prescribed  limits.  Original  thinking  is  therefore 


BUSINESS  SIDE  OF  KITCHEN       201 

necessary  in  applying  these  standard  percentages  to 
individual  and  special  conditions.  In  working  out 
a  wise  apportionment  of  income,  no  one  thing  is 
so  valuable  as  a  careful  record  of  what  the  daily 
living  actually  costs.  Therefore -a  simple  system 
of  monthly  account-keeping  must  be  adopted  by 
every  family.  The  system  should  not  require  too 
much  work.  But,  to  be  effective  it  should  keep 
track  of  every  important  detail. 

The  best  and  simplest  system  that  we  know  has 
been  used  at  the  Housekeeping  Experiment  Station 
for  nine  years.  It  never  takes  more  than  ten 
minutes  to  jot  down  in  a  small  cash-book  the  daily 
cash  expenses;  or  more  than  two  hours  a  month 
to  check  up  the  totals  of  the  monthly  statements 
of  the  tradesmen  with  the  order  slips,  make  out 
the  checks  and  balance  the  check-book.  Although 
in  several  instances  bills  have  been  presented  that 
have  already  been  paid,  it  has  always  been  possible 
to  locate  without  delay  the  necessary  receipt.  In 
one  case  it  was  necessary  to  find  a  receipt  for  china 
purchased  three  years  before  the  duplicate  bill  came 
in.  The  labor  of  hunting  up  the  envelope  contain- 
ing the  record  of  this  purchase  required  exactly  ten 
minutes. 

The  system  has  one  inflexible  requirement  which, 
like  the  laws  of  the  Medes  and  Persians,  "  changeth 
not."  That  is  to  deposit  in  the  bank  all  the  money 
that  conies  Into  the  family  till,  whether  it  is  salary 
or  dividends,  an  unlooked-for  windfall  or  merelv 


202          THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

a  birthday  present.  The  amount  of  the  deposit  is 
entered  in  the  left-hand  column  of  the  ruled  page 
of  the  check  book  opposite  the  checks.  Together 
with  the  entry  a  memorandum  is  also  made  stating 
the  source,  or  any  necessary  information  relating 
to  the  deposit.  Each  deposit,  added  to  the  amount 
of  money  already  in  the  bank,  shows  the  total 
amount  that  has  been  deposited.  The  right-hand 
column  of  this  blank  page  in  the  check-book  shows 
a  corresponding  record  of  all  money  paid  out. 
Each  check  stub  should  give  the  name  of  the  person 
or  firm  to  whom  the  check  is  made  payable,  and  a 
memorandum  of  what  it  is  for,  as  clothing,  coal, 
etc.  At  the  foot  of  the  page  a  total  is  taken  of 
the  income  column  and  the  expense  column.  The 
difference  between  the  two  represents  the  amount  of 
cash  actually  on  hand.  This  balance  is  carried  for- 
ward to  the  top  of  the  income  column  of  the  next 
page. 

We  keep  our  record  with  the  bank  just  as  care- 
fully as  if  it  depended  upon  us  alone  to  know 
whether  or  not  the  balance  is  correct,  and  we  check 
up  our  balance  with  the  bank  every  month  or  two. 
Usually  the  bank  balance  is  larger  than  ours,  be- 
cause several  checks  which  we  have  drawn  have 
not  yet  been  presented  for  payment.  To  make  a 
list  of  the  checks  which  have  not  been  returned  we 
place  a  blue  pencil  check  mark  opposite  each  check 
stub  that  has  come  back.  Then  we  take  the  num- 
ber and  amount  of  the  stubs  which  have  no  mark 


BUSINESS  SIDE  OF  KITCHEN       203 

after  them  and  deduct  the  total  of  these  from  the 
balance  shown  by  the  bank  book.  This  gives  us 
the  "  true  balance  "  and  should  be  exactly  the  same 
amount  as  our  check  book  balance  shows  at  that 
date. 

It  is  exceedingly  easy,  however,  to  make  a  mis- 
take in  addition,  to  forget  to  put  down  a  deposit, 
or  even  to  make  out  a  check  and  forget  to  fill  in  the 
stub.  So  it  sometimes  happens  that  we  have  to  go 
over  our  entries  very  carefully  and  check  up  each 
with  the  bank  record,  and  then  go  over  the  totals  to 
see  whether  we  have  made  an  error  in  addition  or 
subtraction.  It  usually  happens  that  the  mistake 
has  been  made  by  the  housekeeper  and  not  by  the 
bank.  The  bank  must  be  accurate  and  balance  up 
its  cash  to  a  cent  each  day  in  order  to  transact  its 
business.  If  the  bank  makes  mistakes,  it  is  a 
pretty  reliable  sign  that  its  business  is  not  being 
well  done,  and  that  it  is  not  a  safe  institution  to 
have  dealings  with.  Reasoning  of  this  kind  once 
caused  us  to  withdraw  our  account  from  a  bank 
which  had  a  high  reputation  for  stability,  but  which 
had  made  a  mistake  of  several  dollars  in  its  bal- 
ance. The  bank  failed  a  few  months  later.  It 
was  discovered  that  its  funds  had  been  used  for 
speculation  for  several  years  and  its  methods  had 
become  lax.  One  cannot  be  too  careful  nowadays 
in  the  matter  of  accurately  keeping  accounts. 

In  addition  to  the  check-book,  which  is  our  com- 
plete record  of  all  family  expenses,  we  have  only 


204          THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

to  keep  a  small  cash-book  for  certain  items  that  are 
too  small  to  pay  by  check.  The  cash  account  is 
made  part  of  the  check-book  system  by  simply 
drawing  a  weekly  cash  check  to  cover  the  amount 
we  think  we  shall  need.  The  total  of  this  check 
is  entered  on  the  left  hand  side  of  the  cash-book. 
Every  item  of  expense  paid  out  is  entered  on  the 
right.  We  try  to  group  the  expenses  as  we  go 
along  because  the  record  is  of  value  to  us  just  in 
proportion  to  the  training  it  gives  us.  For  instance, 
suppose  we  spend  $5  on  a  trip  to  the  city.  Our 
entries  may  read  like  this  as  we  jot  them  down  at 
the  end  of  the  day: 

June  15.  Carfare  $  .05 

Ticket    60 

Lunch    40 

Telephone    10 

Ribbons    1.25 

Hat    2.00 

Ticket    60 

$5.00 
Or  it  may  read: 

June  15.  Trip  to  the  city $1-75 

Clothing    3.25 

Total     $5.00 

In  the  former  case  we  have  not  taken  pains  to 
separate  the  expense  of  the  trip  itself,  which  would 
always  be  practically  the  same,  from  the  amount 
spent  for  clothing.  The  record  is  over-loaded  with 
detail  and  gives  no  information  of  value.  In  the 


BUSINESS  SIDE  OF  KITCHEN       205 

latter,  we  have  analyzed  the  account.  This  analyz- 
ing of  items  soon  becomes  a  habit;  and  it  is  the 
most  helpful  habit  that  we  can  cultivate  now-a-days 
when  conserving  the  income  is  only  possible  through 
an  exact  knowledge  of  values.  The  old  idea  of 
economy  in  everything  is  being  replaced  by  definite 
knowledge  of  what  not  to  do.  Certain  expenses 
inevitably  follow  certain  decisions  and  cannot  be 
controlled.  Therefore  our  account-keeping  rescues 
us  from  many  difficult  positions,  and  enables  us  to 
know  with  certainty  what  we  can  do  and  what  we 
ought  to  avoid. 

The  cash  account,  then,  is  kept  exactly  as  is  the 
check  account.  At  the  bottom  of  each  page  a 
total  is  taken  of  the  amount  of  cash  drawn  out ; 
and  of  the  expenses  on  the  opposite  page.  The  dif- 
ference between  the  two  represents  the  cash  on 
hand  and  is  brought  forward  to  the  next  page.  At 
the  end  of  the  month  the  expenses  are  grouped 
under  the  proper  heads,  such  as  clothing,  wages, 
food,  etc.,  and  added  to  the  amount  spent  for  these 
items  through  checks.  This  gives  us  a  complete 
record  of  the  various  ways  in  which  money  has 
been  spent,  and  is  one  of  the  chief  objects  for  which 
accounts  have  been  kept.  .The  totals  are  filed  on  a 
card  and  can  be  compared  at  any  time  with  the  ex- 
penses of  a  previous  month.  In  this  way  we  learn 
to  spend  our  income  to  the  best  advantage,  to  pro- 
tect ourselves  from  other  people's  carelessness,  and 
always  to  discriminate  intelligently  between  what 


206          THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

"  it  were  good  to  do  "  and  what  we  are  financially 
able  to  do. 

PURCHASING  SUPPLIES 

Each  department  of  household  expense  has  its 
own  problems  and  must  be  dealt  with,  in  the  light 
of  experience,  in  such  a  manner  as  to  get  the  best 
results.  In  this  book  we  shall  consider  one  de- 
partment only,  that  relating  to  the  needs  and  re- 
quirements of  the  kitchen. 

In  order  to  get  the  best  value  for  the  money  ex- 
pended for  food  supplies,  the  housekeeper  may 
pursue  one  of  two  general  policies,  either  of  which, 
intelligently  followed  up,  gives  good  results. 

The  French  system  consists  of  buying  in  very 
small  quantities  as  food  is  needed.  By  this  plan  we 
pay  a  slightly  higher  price,  but  avoid  the  care  of 
storage,  the  risk  of  deterioration  and  all  tempta- 
tion to  careless  or  wasteful  use  that  comes  with 
having  abundant  reserve  supplies  on  hand.  Very 
many  housekeepers  have  no  choice  in  the  matter, 
since  those  who  must  move  often  or  live  in  apart- 
ments cannot  store  anything  not  absolutely  neces- 
sary to  be  kept  on  hand.  For  this  very  large  class 
of  home-makers  we  recommend  our  Standard  List, 
which  is  given  on  pages  209  and  210,  and  which 
amply  provides  for  both  the  daily  needs  and  for 
emergencies. 

The  other  plan  is  to  buy  in  quantity  and  thus 
obtain  a  substantial  reduction  in  price.  For  house- 
keepers who  live  in  the  country  and  can  have  a  good 


BUSINESS  SIDE  OF  KITCHEN       207 

cold  storage  cellar,  it  will  pay  to  make  a  practice  of 
buying-  not  only  groceries  and  canned  foods  in 
quantity,  but  the  winter  supply  of  vegetables,  apples, 
oranges  and  grape-fruit.  It  may  even  be  an  ad- 
vantage to  put  down  eggs  in  water  glass  if  one  lives 
in  a  community  where  eggs  ever  get  as  low  as  20 
to  25  cents  a  dozen. 

It  is  important,  however,  to  know  both  how  to 
select  and  how  to  care  for  food  in  storage.  The 
cold  cellar  must  be  properly  ventilated,  and  also 
protected  from  excessive  cold.  One  must  know 
liow  to  choose  a  satisfactory  grade  of  supplies  that 
/will  keep.  Fruit  and  vegetables  must  be  frequently 
/  gone  over  and  all  decayed  articles  removed.  At 
least  an  hour  a  week  should  be  given  to  this  work 
by^the  householder  in  person,  since  one  cannot  en- 
trust it  to  an  ordinary  maid  or  leave  reserve  supplies 
open  "to  careless  use. 

If  this  plan  is  carried  out  in  connection  with  a 
home  garden  it  will  prove  a  great  economy.  With 
good  management  a  moderate-sized  garden  plot 
will  yield  a  great  part  of  all  the  vegetables  a  family 
needs  for  winter  use,  and  many  of  the  fruits  and 
vegetables  for  canning.  The  labor  of  caring  for 
such  a  garden  is  not  great,  and  is  better  worth 
while  than  any  other  department  of  home  work 
that  we  have,  since  it  keeps  the  whole  family  out  of 
doors  and  happily  occupied. 

KEEPING  TRACK  OF  SUPPLIES 
Whatever   purchasing   system    may   be   adopted, 


208          THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

whether  supplies  are  bought  in  quantity  or  in  small 
amounts  as  needed,  it  is  important  that  the  renew- 
ing be  done  in  a  methodical  way.  In  the  entire 
realm  of  home  economics  there  is  no  more  prolific 
source  of  wasted  time  and  energy  than  that  caused 
by  a  hand-to-mouth  habit  of  buying. 

Let  us  suppose  that  the  cook  or  housekeeper  is  all 
ready  to  make  a  batch  of  apple  pies.  At  the  last 
moment  she  discovers  that  there  is  no  lard  in  the 
house  or  no  nutmeg.  Then  ensues  a  hurried  trip 
to  the  corner  grocery.  Or  perhaps  a  telephone 
order  must  be  sent  and  the  cooking  delayed  until  the 
goods  arrive.  Probably  it  is  a  late  hour  of  the 
morning  when  everybody  is  telephoning,  and  the 
line  is  busy.  As  a  result  of  this  lack  of  foresight 
twice  as  much  time  is  consumed  as  the  actual  cook- 
ing operation  requires.  The  work  is  done  in  an 
atmosphere  of  worry  and  confusion  and  the  whole 
morning's  schedule  is  thrown  out  of  focus. 

At  the  Housekeeping  Experiment  Station  we 
avoid  all  this  by  merely  keeping  a  pad  and  pencil 
hung  up  in  the  kitchen  on  which  orders  are  made 
out  in  advance.  We  plan  to  keep  a  certain  amount 
of  supplies  on  hand  to  cover  daily  needs  and  emer- 
gency needs.  Whenever  a  can  is  used  a  memo  at 
once  goes  on  the  pad  to  replace  it.  When  the  tea 
canister  or  coffee  canister  gets  down  to  two-thirds 
a  new  supply  is  purchased.  We  never  wait  for 
Anything  to  be  actually  'gone  before  replacing  it. 
We  telephone  orders  once,  twice  or  three  times  a 


\ 
BUSINESS  SIDE  OF  KITCHEN       209 

week  as  the  need  requires,  trying  to  consider  the 
convenience  of  the  grocer  as  well  as  our  own  and 
not  to  ask  unnecessary  deliveries. 

No  great  amount  of  storage  space  is  needed  for 
a  supply  such  as  we  recommend.  At  the  Experi- 
ment Station  the  supply  is  kept  in  the  kitchenette 
itself,  a  room  6  ft.  6  by  u.  There  is  no  regular 
storage  pantry,  but  the  east  wall  of  the  kitchenette 
is  fitted  up  with  open  shelves  above  the  work  table 
on  which  we  keep  all  articles  needed  for  daily  use 
and  emergencies.  The  amount  of  money  needed 
to  purchase  the  given  list  is  also  small;  and  the 
added  efficiency  through  time  saved  in  the  planning 
and  preparation  of  meals  is  very  great.  This, 
therefore,  is  one  of  the  wise  investments  for  house- 
keepers of  small  means  as  well  as  those  of  abun- 
dant income. 

STANDARD  LIST  OF  KITCHEN  SUPPLIES 
Granulated  sugar   . .   5  Ibs.  Molasses    i  qt. 


Lump  sugar  i 

Powdered  sugar    ...    i 

Brown  sugar   i 

Coffee    i 

Tea    i 

Baking  powder i 


Flour : 

Bread 25  Ibs. 

Pastry    10 

Graham  5 

Rye    i 

Cereals : 


Corn  starch   i  pkg.       Oatmeal    3 

Cream  tartar   J4  lb.         Hominy  i 

Baking  soda i  Ib.  Unpolished  rice  . .   3 

Tapioca   i  pkg.  Yellow   corn   meal  i 

Efgs    i  doz.  2     kinds     of     un- 

Butter    2  Ibs.  cooked  cereals. 

Lard    3    "      Macaroni i  pkg, 

Lemons    3  to  6 


2IO 


THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 


Canned  Goods: 


Corn 2  cans 

Peas 2 

Shrimp    2 

Tomatoes    2 

Salmon    2 

Peaches   2 

Cherries    2 

Plum  pudding  ...  2 

Chicken   2 

Shredded    codfish  i  Ib. 
Dried  beef.. 2  glass  jars 


Bacon   3  Ib.  strip 

6  Beef  tablets. 

Currants    I  pkg. 

Small  can  pimentoes,- 
Evaporated  cream  2  cans 

Sardines  2    " 

Stuffed  olives...  .2  bottles 
Seeded  raisins  . .  i  pkg. 
Grated  pineapple,  i  can 
Hawaiian  pineapple. 


Soup  Flavorings: 


Salt. 

White  pepper  ....  i  can 
Pepper  corns.  .5c.  worth 
Bay  leaves  . . . .  "  " 

Clove  " 

Thyme    " 


Marjoram     ....  5c.  worth 

Celery " 

Onion  extract. 
Evaporated  carrots,  i    Ib. 
Celery  salt. 
Evaporated   turnips,  i  Ib. 


Condiments  and  Seasonings: 


Extract  of  Vanilla. 
"    Lemon. 
"    Almond. 
Salad  materials: 

Paprika  i  can 

-Garlic  cloves. .  .5c.  worth 


Cinnamon. 

Ginger. 

Mace. 


Spices : 


Tarragon  'vinegar. . . 

... i  bottle 

Olive   oil    i  gal. 

Cider  vinegar i  qt. 

Mustard   .  . .  i  can 


All-spice. 
Nut-meg. 
Red  pepper. 


Miscellaneous : 


Poultry  seasoning. 
Imitation     maple     syrup 

extract. 
Currie  powder. 

Gelatin   2  pkgs. 

Refined    cotton    seed    oil. 


Dried  apricots i  Ib. 

prunes    "  " 

mushrooms    . ."  " 

3  Ibs.  Milk  crackers. 

i  Ib.  Saltines. 


BUSINESS  SIDE  OF  KITCHEN       211 

The  housekeeper  who  arranges  to  keep  on  hand 
a  Standard  List  like  the  foregoing  can  avoid  the 
most  prolific  sources  of  worry,  delay  and  wasted 
energy.  An  orderly  method  of  keeping  track  of 
supplies  soon  becomes  a  habit.  Mechanically,  al- 
most without  thought,  needs  are  jotted  down  in 
advance.  The  day's  orders  are  telephoned  at  a 
convenient  hour  before  the  line  gets  busy.  Best 
of  all  her  day  can  be  planned  to  the  best  advantage, 
and  she  is  never  at  the  mercy  of  fate  when  emer- 
gencies arise. 

ORDERING  SUPPLIES 

A  strong  prejudice  against  ordering  by  telephone 
has  developed  in  the  past  few  years,  some  authori- 
ties even  going  so  far  as  to  charge  up  against  the 
telephone  the  entire  responsibility  for  the  high  cost 
of  living! 

It  is  true  that  serious  abuses  are  possible  in  homes 
where  supplies  are  carelessly  telephoned  for  by  any- 
body and  everybody,  without  any  subsequent  check- 
ing up.  Nevertheless,  in  spite  of  sensational  warn- 
ings against  the  practice,  there  is  much  to  be  said 
in  its  favor.  The  evils  of  the  system  have  crept 
in  through  ignorance  or  lack  of  training  on  the 
part  of  the  housekeeper  and  dishonesty  on  the  part 
of  the  merchant.  As  neither  the  one  nor  the  other 
defect  is  inevitable,  there  is  no  reason  why  either 
should  be  permitted  to  discredit  a  convenience  that, 
properly  used,  may  be  quite  as  valuable  to  the 
housekeeper  as  to  the  business  man. 


212          THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

Housekeepers  are  realizing  that  they  must  learn 
how  to  purchase  wisely,  and  that  a  knowledge  of 
the  reliable  brands  of  food  is  part  of  the  educa- 
tion necessary  to  successful  home-making.  Every- 
where courses  in  marketing  and  food  values  are 
being  given  to  women's  clubs.  Merchants  are  be- 
ing called  to  account  for  dishonest  dealing  and  are 
suffering  loss  of  trade  if  they  persist  in  taking  ad- 
vantage of  ignorance.  On  the  other  hand  those 
who  can  be  trusted  to  properly  fill  orders  are  meet- 
ing deserved  success.  Where  the  housekeeper 
knows  her  end  of  the  business  and  the  merchant 
can  be  relied  on,  the  use  of  the  telephone  means  a 
great  saving  of  time  and  energy  at  both  ends  of 
the  wire.  Competent  market  men,  for  example, 
know  more  about  meats  than  the  average  house- 
keeper can  learn  in  a  lifetime.  If  this  knowledge 
can  be  enlisted  in  the  interest  of  the  home,  and  if 
the  housekeeper  is  willing  to  pay  the  slightly  higher 
price  such  honest  and  intelligent  service  is  worth, 
the  use  of  the  telephone  will  be  the  greatest  possible 
benefit. 

When  all  is  said  and  done,  it  is  simply  a  problem 
in  mathematics.  Conditions  vary  in  different  com- 
munities, and  the  only  way  to  test  them  is  by 
experiment.  Let  the  housekeeper  first  try  going  to 
market  for  a  month,  keeping  a  careful  record  of  the 
time  and  car  fare  consumed  by  this  method. 
Then,  when  she  knows  the  market  conditions,  and 
the  best  places  to  purchase  to  advantage,  let  her 


BUSINESS  SIDE  OF  KITCHEN       213 

select  a  reliable  butcher  and  grocer  and  a  good 
place  to  buy  fruit  and  vegetables.  Let  her  give  her 
orders  by  telephone  at  a  certain  regular  time  each 
day,  and  carry  out  this  plan  also*  for  a  month,  care- 
fully comparing  the  results  of  the  two  systems  one 
with  the  other.  She  can  then  readily  judge  which 
is  the  better  plan  in  her  particular  case.  She  may 
find  that  marketing  once  a  week  and  paying  cash 
prices,  combined  with  the  telephone  system  for 
other  days,  will  be  more  effective  than  either  plan 
for  her  needs.  If  the  family  is  large  and  the  chil- 
dren grown  up,  the  money  saved  by  cash  marketing 
may  far  out-weigh  every  other  consideration.  The 
question  may  be  decided  by  each  individual  on  its 
merits,  since  able  housekeepers  have  proved  it  is 
possible  to  get  the  right  kind  of  supplies  by  either 
method. 

CHECKING  UP  SUPPLIES 

In  Chapter  IV  on  Built-in  Conveniences  we  have 
spoken  of  the  importance  of  having  a  shelf  or  closet 
at  the  back  entrance  to  receive  daily  supplies  as 
they  are  left  by  the  tradesmen.  Near  this  closet 
should  be  hung  a  bill  clip,  so  that  the  slips  ac- 
companying each  order  may  be  checked  up  before 
the  goods  are  put  away,  and  the  slips  placed  in  the 
clip  until  the  end  of  the  month.  The  total  amount 
on  the  slips  should  then  be  checked  up  with  the  total 
of  the  monthly  statement.  If  any  mistake  has  been 
made  in  the  order,  any  wrong  charge  or  any  short- 
age of  goods,  or  if  the  goods  themselves  were  un- 


214          THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

satisfactory,  the  dealer  has  been  called  up  at  the 
time  of  delivery,  and  the  matter  corrected.  A  note 
of  the  correction  has  been  made  on  the  slip.  Credit 
slips  are  kept  with  the  charge  slips,  so  that  every- 
thing can  be  quickly  checked  and  verified  before 
making  out  the  check. 

Tradesmen  who  do  not  have  telephones  are  given 
instructions  to  leave  a  certain  order  of  bread,  eggs, 
or  what  not,  daily  or  weekly.  If  any  change  is 
made,  a  note  is  left  near  where  the  goods  are  de- 
livered, giving  the  necessary  instructions  to  increase 
or  reduce  the  order.  If  slips  are  not  left  with  the 
orders,  a  card  is  nailed  up  against  the  wall,  on 
which  each  delivery  is  marked.  At  the  end  of  the 
week  or  the  end  of  the  month  the  amounts  are 
totaled  up  and  paid.  We  have  a  general  under- 
standing with  all  dealers  that  as  long  as  they  leave 
us  first-class  goods  we  make  no  change  in  the  order, 
but  that  any  inferior  or  imperfect  goods  will  be 
returned.  We  pay  promptly  and  make  a  point  of 
giving  a  certain  definite  amount  of  trade  that  can 
be  counted  on.  In  this  way  \ve  get  the  best  service 
with  the  least  expenditure  of  our  own  time  and 
effort. 

THE  KITCHEN  RECORDS 

In  order  that  the  best  methods  may  be  carried 
out  in  the  kitchen,  and  that  the  one  who  does  the 
work  may  have  in  available  form  the  recipes,  menus 
and  directions  relating  to  the  various  details  of  her 
business,  it  is  necessary  to  have  some  place  in  the 


Home-made  kitchen  cabinet.     Making  the  most  of  limited 

wall  space.     Pastry  board  pulls  out  beneath 

one  of  the  shelves 


BUSINESS  SIDE  OF  KITCHEN       215 

kitchen  in  which  may  be  kept  a  complete  set  of 
reference  cards  for  kitchen  records. 

Very  few  home-makers  realize  how  much  time 
is  lost  through  failure  to  keep  accurate,  tested 
recipes  adapted  to  the  size  of  the  family,  in  a  con- 
venient place  and  ready  for  constant  reference. 
Somewhere  in  most  houses  this  information  is 
stored,  but  it  is  not  available  when  needed.  Very 
much  of  the  cooking,  for  example,  is  done  by  guess- 
work. More  food  is  prepared  than  is  needed,  and 
is  then  either  wasted  or  requires  special  thought 
and  care  to  warm  over. 

There  is  a  very  simple  way  of  controlling  the 
situation.  Make  out  for  kitchen  use  a  set  of  card 
recipes  of  all  foods  used  contantly,  even  including 
cereals.  Adapt  these  rules  to  the  number  of  per- 
sons in  the  family.  Keep  the  cards  alphabetically 
indexed  in  a  small  oak  box  which  sells  for  75  cents. 
Such  a  box  is  technically  known  as  a  "  jogger."  A 
4^By  6  card  is  the  best  size  for  the  purpose,  and  it 
sliould  be  of  a  good  grade  of  card-board.  Each 
recipe  card  ought  to  contain  the  following  informa- 
tion: 

1.  List  of  necessary  ingredients. 

2.  Directions  for  mixing. 

3.  Directions  for  baking,  with  exact  baking  tem- 

peratures and  exact  time  required  for  baking. 

4.  Number  of  persons  rule  will  serve. 

5.  Exact  time  required  for  mixing. 

6.  Cost  of  materials. 


216          THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

The  following  shows  a  tested  recipe  card  with 
full  directions : 

RYE  MUFFINS 

i  cup  rye  flour;  i  cup  milk; 

i  cup  white  flour;  I  egg; 

34  cup  sugar ;  i  tablespoon  melted  butter ; 

i  teaspoonful  salt;  4  teaspoons  baking  powder. 

1.  Mix   and   sift   dry   ingredients.     Add  gradually  the 
milk,  egg  well  beaten  and  melted  butter. 

2.  Heat  oven  to  a  temperature  of  420  degrees  F.*  by 
turning  on  both  burners  for  about  seven  minutes,  using 
thermometer  to  test.     Turn  both  burners  as  low  as  pos- 
sible   to    maintain    this    temperature.     Place    muffins    on 
lower  shelf  and  bake  for  20  minutes.     They  should  be 
well  raised  by  this  time  and  commence  to  brown.     Turn 
on  heat  full  for  5  to  7  minutes,  when  muffins  will  be  well 
browned  and  ready  to  take  out. 

3.  Rule  makes  12  muffins. 

4.  6  minutes  are  required  for  mixing. 

5.  Material  costs  10  cents. 

Such  a  record  is  valuable  for  the  following  rea- 
sons: 

1.  It  enables  one  to   perform  the   work  in   the 
shortest  possible  time. 

2.  It  is  possible  to  see  at  a  glance  the  special  con- 
ditions governing  each  single  operation,  so  that  a 
person  of  intelligence  may  be  able  to  group  to  best 
advantage  a  number  of  tasks  that  may  need  to  be 
watched  up  at  the  same  time. 

3.  It  prevents  wasting  time  in  looking  up  details 
that  cannot  safely  be  trusted  to  the  memory. 

4.  It  assures  perfectly  cooked  food  and  therefore 
prevents  waste  of  valuable  materials. 

*  Where   thermometers   are   not  used   directions   for  paper 
tests  may  be  substituted. 


BUSINESS  SIDE  OF  KITCHEN       217 

5.  The  baking  temperatures  worked  out  for  one. 
kind  of  food  as  a  rule  apply  to  all  recipes  of  the 
same  class.     Thus   the  directions   for  rye  muffins 
apply  to  all  other  kinds  of  muffins,  and  need  not 
be  repeated. 

6.  It  prevents  small  amounts  of  different  kinds  of 
food  being  left  over,  to  either  be  wasted  or  take 
time  and  thought  to  serve  again  in  some  palatable 
form. 

7.  It  is  a  valuable  record  that  can  be  used  by  any 
one  as  a  guide  for  the  same  kind  of  work.     Details 
slip  from  the  memory,  and  a  careful  habit  of  mak- 
ing and   preserving  records   is   the  greatest   asset 
that  any  home-maker  can  have. 

Another  serious  loss  of  time,  resulting  also  in 
much  damage  to  valuable  property,  is  caused  by 
failure  to  keep  careful  directions  for  the  care  of 
equipment.  The  cleaning  of  metals,  care  of  hard- 
wood, etc.,  are  important  tasks.  Yet  either  no  di- 
rections at  all  are  given  for  their  performance,  or 
it  must  be  given  verbally  to  each  new  maid  or  out- 
side houseworker  who  comes  in.  Such  directions 
should  be  recorded  on  cards  and  kept  in  a  con- 
venient place  in  the  kitchen  for  constant  reference. 
Any  housekeeper  can  make  a  set  of  these  cards  for 
herself  by  purchasing  strong  bond  letter  paper  7  by 
ii.  Or  the  directions  may  be  written  on  heavy 
cards  5  by  8  in  size. 

The   Housekeeping   Experiment    Station   has   in 


218          THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

preparation  a  complete  set  of  Kitchen  Record  Cards 
which  will  be  issued  in  a  short  time  for  the  use  of 
home-makers.  These  cards  will  have  the  direc- 
tions printed  in  clear  type,  and  each  card  will  have 
a  hole  by  which  it  may  be  suspended  from  a  hook 
where  it  can  be  easily  seen  by  the  person  perform- 
ing the  work. 


XVI 

I, 

THE  HOME-MAKER'S  QUIET  CORNER 

THIS  little  book  has  been  written  in  vain 
if  it  has  not  been  made  abundantly  clear 
that  the  business  of  real  home-making  is 
a  problem  for  heart  and  brain  rather  than  one  de- 
manding mere  physical  toil  for  its  solution. 

However  necessary  it  may  be  for  the  mother  of 
a  family  to  master  the  practical  details  of  her  busi- 
ness, it  is,  in  the  final  analysis,  an  administrative 
problem.  Therefore  the  Efficient  Kitchen  will 
fall  far  short  of  its  purpose  unless  the  home-maker 
can  have  somewhere  in  the  house  a  quiet  corner 
where  she  can  be  free  to  do  the  thinking  and 
planning  necessary  to  coordinate  the  household 
machinery  and  make  it  run  effectively. 

The  Quiet  Corner  corresponds  to  the  business 
man's  office.  It  should  if  possible  be  a  separate 
little  room  away  from  noise  and  interruptions,  and 
should  be  conveniently  fitted  up  with  writing  table, 
book-shelves  and  files.  Here  the  day's  work  is 
planned,  accounts  are  kept  and  the  indispensable 
housekeeping  records  are  made  and  filed  away  in 
convenient  form  for  handy  reference. 

The  cost  of  fitting  up  such  an  adjunct  to  the 
219 


220 


THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 


Efficient  Kitchen  may  be  anywhere  from  about  $10 
to  $150.  But  whether  the  expense  be  much  or 
little,  the  equipment  should  be  of  the  right  kind. 
The  "  jigglely  "  little  "  ladies'  desks  "  that  look  so 
ornamental  are  the  wrong  kind.  Much  to  be  pre- 
ferred is  a  plain  kitchen  table  with  two  drawers, 
which  may  be  purchased  unstained  for  $2.50.  Ten 
dollars  will  buy  a  very  complete  outfit  including  a 


FIG.  38. —  Least    expensive    equipment 
for  the  Homemaker's  Quiet  Corner. 

kitchen  table  and  chair  to  match,  a  scrap  basket, 
scissors,  two  letter  files  and  a  good  supply  of  paper, 
pencils,  memorandum  pads,  etc.  (See  Fig.  38.) 
The  table  and  chair  may  be  stained  oak,  green  or 
cherry  to  match  their  surroundings. 

We  have  already  spoken  of  the  advantage  of  a 
card  system  for  the  kitchen  records  in  constant 
use.  These  kitchen  records  will  be  merely  part  of 
a  general  card  and  filing  system  covering  all  de- 
partments of  the  household  needs,  to  be  made  out, 


THE  QUIET  CORNER  221 

consulted  and  filed  in  the  Home-maker's  Quiet 
Corner.  The  family  account-keeping,  for  example, 
is  very  simple  and  consists  of  comparatively  few 
items.  Nevertheless  it  covers  an  immense  amount 
of  detail.  To  tax  the  memory  with  a  multitude  of 
facts  that,  in  themselves  are  unimportant,  is  a  great 
mistake  and  has  been  a  main  cause  of  the  terrible 
waste  of  energy  seen  in  many  homes.  "  Mother  " 
is  expected  to  be  constantly  at  everybody's  beck 
and  call,  and  to  be  an  encyclopedia  of  useful  in- 
formation for  the  entire  family.  She  must  not 
only  remember  the  details  that  properly  fall  to  her 
own  work,  but  she  must  make  good  the  short- 
comings caused  by  carelessness  of  other  members 
of  the  family.  If  she  does  not  in  self-defense 
adopt  a  simple  and  accurate  system  of  keeping  track 
of  things  she  becomes  a  hopeless  burden  bearer. 

We  all  know  homes  where  the  mother  is  con- 
stantly interrupting  important  work  to  hunt  up 
some  missing  article  for  one  member  or  another  of 
the  family;  where  hours  are  lost  hunting  for 
things  that  are  needed  but  have  been  tucked  away 
somewhere.  No  one  can  find  them  but  "  Mother  " 
if  she  has  put  them  away,  and  if  she  trusts  to  an 
over-burdened  memory  which  fails  her  at  the  most 
critical  times.  If  she  has  a  system,  however,  she  can 
say :  "  Your  winter  flannels  are  in  the  cedar  chest 
in  a  package  labeled  '  T's  Winter  Flannels,'  "  or 
"  The  gloves  are  in  the  right-hand  upper  corner  of 
my  bureau  drawer."  Many  women  are  naturally 


222          THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

systematic  and  have  worked  out  for  themselves 
simple  and  effective  ways  of  conserving  their  time. 
Many  others  have  good  memories  and  can  always 
remember.  These  two  classes  of  women  need  very 
little  help;  but  there  is  a  still  larger  class  who  are 
neither  systematic  nor  gifted  with  good  memories, 
but  who  would  become  the  best  kind  of  home- 
makers  if  they  would  carry  out  a  systematic  plan 
of  keeping  records  of  all  information  by  means  of 
a  card  system. 

We  have  spoken  of  the  need  of  having  accurate 
recipes  and  direction  cards  in  the  kitchen.  This  is 
the  first  step  toward  starting  a  valuable  system 
which  may  be  applied  to  other  departments  of  the 
house-work.  The  next  step  is  to  get  the  "  card 
habit "  and  free  one's  thought  from  all  unnecessary 
detail.  The  two  sizes  of  cards  best  adapted  to  the 
use  of  the  home  are  3  by  5  and  4  by  6.  Card  index 
trays,  such  as  librarians  use,  come  to  fit  in  ordinary 
drawers.  These  index  trays  are  about  fifteen 
inches  long.  You  start  the  system  by  writing  out 
on  an  index  card  the  subject  you  want  to  keep  track 
of.  These  subjects  may  be:  Household  Accounts; 
Addresses,  Personal  and  Business;  Linen  Supply; 
Miscellaneous  Information.  Then  every  fact  that 
needs  to  be  remembered  may  be  written  down  on 
a  card  under  its  proper  grouping.  In  a  short  time 
it  becomes  a  habit  to  jot  things  down,  and  finally  it 
becomes  almost  mechanical  to  keep  track  of  every- 
thing by  means  of  the  cards. 


THE  QUIET  CORNER  223 

When  one  or  another  needs  to  know  where  things 
are,  or  what  kind  and  size  of  stockings  to  buy  for 
John,  or  where  you  can  get  the  best  grade  and  size 
of  bedding,  you  simply  consult  your  card  record, 
and  save  the  time  of  looking  up  all  these  details. 
Until  you  begin  to  think  about  it  you  will  not 
realize  how  much  time  you  formerly  wasted  just 
because  you  failed  to  make  unimportant  matters 
automatic. 

Duplicates  of  all  recipe  cards  should  be  kept  in 
the  Quiet  Corner ;  for  it  is  here  that  you  plan  your 
meals,  and  here  that  it  will  be  of  most  service  to 
have  recipes  grouped  in  a  suggestive  way.  For 
instance:  you  have  under  one  grouping  Supper 
Dishes,  giving  a  list  of  the  supper  dishes  that  have 
been  found  best  adapted  to  the  tastes  and  need 
of  the  family.  Another  grouping  is  devoted  to 
Quickly  Prepared  Meals.  Another  to  Emergency 
Dinners,  etc.  These  groupings  come  to  you  in  the 
form  of  suggestions  from  friends  or  magazine  arti- 
cles. You  jot  them  down,  try  them  out,  and  add 
them,  if  found  worthy,  to  your  "  tried  and  true  " 
card  recipe  index.  Often  they  cannot  be  dupli- 
cated because  they  have  never  been  written  down 
by  any  one  before.  For  that  reason  one  ought  not 
to  keep  the  original  card  in  the  kitchen,  but  should 
have  a  set  of  duplicates  for  kitchen  use.  It  is  also 
not  necessary  to  have  on  the  kitchen  card  all  the 
detail  that  may  be  desirable  for  the  permanent  file. 
The  cost  of  food  and  the  time  required  to  prepare 


224         THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

it  are  needed  when  one  plans  the  day's  work.  In 
the  actual  doing  of  it  one  has  more  need  of  baking 
directions,  exact  amounts  of  ingredients,  etc. 

The  most  important  feature  of  the  card  system 
is  to  have  a  small  oak  "  jogger  "  to  be  kept  on  one's 
desk  to  hold  memoranda  that  will  serve  as  a  guide 
to  the  immediate  day's  work.  Any  special  work 
for  a  certain  day  is  written,  say,  on  a  card  marked 
Tuesday.  Perhaps  Tuesday  is  the  regular  wash 
day ;  but  bread  must  be  set  at  night  and  peas  soaked 
for  Wednesday's  pea  soup.  A  glance  at  the  card 
will  serve  as  a  reminder  to  maid  or  housekeeper. 
There  are  duties  that  change  every  day  even  though 
certain  days  are  set  apart  for  special  tasks.  These 
directions  are  written  out  as  they  are  thought  of, 
and  each  morning  a  card  of  special  directions  is 
given  to  the  maid,  together  with  the  menus  for  the 
day.  Perhaps  the  laundress  comes  once  a  week 
and  you  must  remember  to  tell  her.  to  take  special 
pains  ironing  the  fine  white  dress,  to  set  the  color 
in  E's  new  gingham  dresses,  not  to  starch  the  cur- 
tains too  much.  So  as  these  ideas  occur  to  you  they 
are  written  down  on  the  Laundress'  card.  An- 
other card  is  kept  for  the  man  who  comes  once  a 
week  to  mow  the  lawn  and  do  odd  jobs  about  the 
house.  You  jot  down  on  Brown's  card: 

Fix  screens  to  cellar  window. 

Loosen  library  windows  that  stick. 

Mow  lawn. 

Transplant  iris. 

New  pane  of  glass  in  vestibule. 


THE  QUIET  CORNER  225 

Suppose  you  happen  to>  be  out  when  Brown 
comes,  or  an  unexpected  caller  arrives.  It  is  not 
necessary  to  see  him,  or  to  tax  your  mind  with 
the  list  of  little  things  that  will  help  in  making  the 
next  week  go  smoothly.  All  you  have  to  do  about 
Brown  is  to  leave  the  card  for  him. 

In  the  same  way  a  card  keeps  track  of  the  er- 
rands that  must  be  done  next  time  we  go  to  the  city 
to  shop.  On  it  sizes,  addresses,  etc.,  are  written 
down,  so  that  these  do  not  have  to  be  specially  re- 
membered. All  these  cards  are  filed  alphabetically 
so  we  can  take  them  out  of  the  "  jogger  "  when  we 
need  them.  As  soon  as  a  list  is  done  with  it  is 
destroyed,  and  a  new  card  started.  If  one  or  two 
items  still  remain  to  be  attended  to  they  are  trans- 
ferred to  the  new  card. 

The  cost  of  card  trays  and  joggers  for  both 
kitchen  and  Quiet  Corner  will  be  about  $3.00. 
There  will  be  two  joggers,  one  holding  4  by  6 
cards,  and  a  smaller  one  for  the  desk  holding  3  by  5 
cards.  There  will  be  two  card  trays  or  oak  drawers 
filled  with  index  cards,  one  4  by  6,  for  the  original 
recipes  kept  in  the  office,  and  one  tray  fitted  out 
with  3  by  5  cards  for  miscellaneous  information. 

The  following  memorandum  shows  the  complete 
cost  of  fitting  up  the  Quiet  Corner  (or  Office  as 
it  is  more  prosaically  called  in  many  households) 
with  the  necessary  furniture,  filing  arrangements, 
etc.,  required  for  making  and  keeping  such  house- 
hold records  as  we  recommend : 


226         THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

i.  Least  expensive  outfit  for  the  Quiet  Corner: 

Kitchen  table,  stained  oak,  cherry  or  green $2.75 

Scrap    basket   75 

Ordinary  chair  to  match  table i.oo 

Scissors    25 

Two  letter  files 70 

Pencils,  paper,  pads,  etc 1.50 

Joggers  and  card  trays  as  itemized  above 3.00 


Total $9.95 

Instead  of  the  inexpensive  letter  files  in  the  above 
list  one  may  purchase  two  inexpensive  vertical  files 
resting  on  a  base.  It  consists  of  two  sections  and 
the  base,  and  sells  for  about  $6.00.  It  is  similar 
to  the  one  illustrated  on  page  227.  It  is  a  great 
convenience  in  any  home,  as  it  keeps  important 
papers  and  letters  in  the  most  compact  and  con- 
venient shape. 

At  the  Housekeeping  Experiment  Station  wre 
have  a  more  elaborate  equipment  because  our  needs 
are  both  private  and  professional.  The  outfit  is 
wonderfully  complete  and  satisfactory,  and  is  espe- 
cially adapted  to  the  needs  of  professional  women, 
club  women  and  teachers  doing  research  work. 
It  is  illustrated  on  page  227.  (See  Fig.  39.)  The 
filing  cabinet  contains  hundreds  of  topics  bearing 
on  kitchen  equipment,  schools  and  their  relation  to 
the  home,  municipal  problems,  etc.,  etc.  All  this 
information  has  been  gathered  through  personal  ex- 
perience and  observation,  or  from  newspapers  and 
periodicals,  and  therefore  cannot  be  found  in  any 
library.  It  is  carefully  indexed  by  means  of  the 


THE  QUIET  CORNER  227 

card  system,  and  can  be  referred  to  at  a  moment's 
notice. 

Our  equipment,  including  a  type-writer  and  type- 
writer desk,  a  revolving  desk  chair  and  the  files, 


FIG.    39. —  A    more    elaborate    "  office "    for    the    homemaker, 
thoroughly  practical  and  desirable. 

costs  about  $150.  This  will  be  found  to  be  an  in- 
vestment that  well  pays  for  busy  people. 

We  have  spoken  of  the  importance  of  having 
a  separate  room  for  the  Home-maker's  Quiet  Cor- 
ner. This  may  seem  an  impossible  luxury  to  the 
unselfish  housemother,  who  is  apt  to  allow  all 
needs  to  take  precedence  of  her  own.  Yet  peace 
and  quiet  at  times  are  all-essential  to  the  success 
of  her  work,  and  must  by  some  means  be  secured. 

We  knew  of  one  harassed  mother  of  nine  who 
now  and  again  achieved  a  quiet  hour  in  the  midst 
of  most  wearisome  toil,  by  ddnning  a  certain  well- 
known  sun-bonnet  as  a  signal  to  the  members  of 
her  household  that  she  wished  to  be  let  alone! 


228          THE  EFFICIENT  KITCHEN 

Absurd  and  pathetic  as  this  incident  is,  it  never- 
theless suggests  a  solution  of  the  difficulty  that  is 
within  the  reach  of  all. 

For  the  Home-maker's  Quiet  Corner,  like  much 
else  that  the  new  housekeeping  stands  for,  is  in 
reality  a  way  of  looking  at  things  —  an  attitude 
of  mind.  If  it  is  once  clearly  recognized  that 
thinking  and  planning  is  the  main  business  of  home- 
making,  and  if  all  the  household  is  taught  to  recog- 
nize this  fact,  it  will  not  be  difficult  for  the  mother, 
whether  or  not  she  has  a  separate  "  office,"  to  be 
as  free  from  interruptions  in  her  special  corner  of 
a  bed-room  or  living-room,  as  if  barricaded  behind 
locked  doors.  The  main  thing  is  to  make  definite 
provision  for  the  mental  aspect  and  mental  require- 
ments of  her  work.  Only  through  a  right  attitude, 
through  recognizing  the  high  importance  of  thought 
and  intelligence  in  working  out  the  household  prob- 
lems, is  it  possible  to  win  through  "villain  kitchen 
vassalage  "  to  glory. 


GLOSSARY 

The  vocabulary  of  the  new  housekeeping  is  often 
a  source  of  confusion  to  housekeepers.  Unfamiliar 
words  are  used,  or  perfectly  familiar  words  are  used 
in  a  new  sense.  Certain  technical  or  trade  words  are 
also  necessary  in  describing  processes  or  giving  direc- 
tions for  construction. 

Built-in-Conveniences. —  As  used  in  the  Efficient 
Kitchen  refers  to  shelf  room,  closets  built  into  the 
wall,  etc,  and  such  other  home-made  contrivances  as 
a  carpenter  can  instal. 

Cleat. —  "  A  strip  nailed  or  otherwise  secured  across 
a  board,  post,  etc.,  for  any  purpose,  as  for  supporting 
the  end  of  a  shelf"  (Century  Dictionary).  In  this 
book  cleat  means  a  narrow  strip  of  wood  nailed  to 
the  wall,  from  which  brooms,  mops,  etc.,  may  be  sus- 
pended. 

Fixed-Equipment. —  Refers  to  the  kind  of  equip- 
ment that  must  be  permanently  located,  such  as  sink 
stove,  etc. 

Grill. —  A  flat  perforated  metal  shelf  to  fit  over  the 
top  of  a  steam  or  hot  water  radiator  in  kitchen  or 
dining-room.  Used  for  drying  kitchen  ware  and  keep- 
ing dishes  warm  in  kitchen  where  there  is  no  kitchen 
range. 

Insulation. — "  That  state  in  which  the  communica- 
229 


230  GLOSSARY 

tion  of  heat  to  other  bodies  is  prevented  by  the  inter- 
position of  a  non-conductor :  also  the  material  or  sub- 
stance which  insulates." 

Pantry. —  Technically  "  an  apartment  or  closet  in 
which  provisions  are  kept  or  where  plates  and  knives 
are  cleaned."  In  this  book  the  term  refers  to  the  small 
intervening  x  room  between  kitchen  and  dining-room, 
often  called  "  Butler's  Pantry." 

Radiator. —  Defined  in  the  Century  Dictionary  as 
"  Anything  which  radiates :  anything  from  which  rays 
of  heat  emanate  or  radiate.  Also  a  part  of  a  heating 
apparatus  designed  to  communicate  heat  to  a  room 
chiefly  by  convection  but  partly  in  some  cases  by 
radiation." 

The  term  is  used  in  The  Efficient  Kitchen  to  apply 
to  the  soap  stone  or  iron  discs  which  are  used  as  the 
heating  agents  in  fireless  cook  stoves.  Also  used  to 
designate  the  steam  or  hot  water  coils  used  to  heat  a 
room. 

Stove. —  Defined  in  the  Century  Dictionary  as  "  A 
closed  or  partly  closed  vessel  or  receiver  in  which 
fuel  is  burned,  the  radiated  heat  being  used  to  warm 
a  room  or  for  cooking."  In  common  usage  the  word 
"stove"  and  "range"  are  used  interchangeably,  but 
manufacturers  of  coal  stoves  and  ranges  make  a  tech- 
nical distinction.  A  "  stove "  has  the  collar  for  the 
smoke-pipe  in  the  top  at  the  end  opposite  the  firebox 
and  has  two  oven  doors  on  opposite  sides.  A  "  range  " 
has  the  collar  for  the  smoke-pipe  at  right  angles  to 
the  firebox,  in  the  middle  of  the  top  at  the  back,  and 
has  but  one  oven  door. 


GLOSSARY  231 

Thermos  Bottle. —  A  bottle  having  a  double  wall  so 
insulated  as  to  retain  the  heat  or  cold  in  the  liquid 
placed  in  it. 

Vent  Valve. —  A  safety  or  poppet  valve  placed  in 
the  cover  of  a  fireless  cook  stove  to  allow  steam  to 
escape  when  the  pressure  inside  is  sufficient  to  lift  the 
valve.  The  valve  makes  roasting  and  baking  possible, 
without  the  necessity  of  opening  the  cooker  to  release 
the  surplus  steam. 


INDEX 


INDEX 


ACCOUNT  KEEPING,  199-206 
Administration,  9,  n 
Administrative,  219 
Agate-ware,  127,  133,  140,  160, 

184 
Alcohol, 

can,  63 

chafing   dish,    159 

cleaner  than  kerosene,  26 

cost  of,  26 

cost  of  operation,  98 

equipment  needed  with,  114 

for  cooking,  96-98,  105 

lamps,  26 

stoves,  65,  97,  98,  112,  136 
Aluminum, 

care  of,  179,  183-184 

tea  kettle,  162 

utensils,   127,  129,  140,  160, 

162 

Analyze,   8 
Analyzed,  205 
Analysis,  219 

of  expenses,  205 

of  processes,  37,  39 
Architect,  14,  15,  18,  19,  26 
Ash-sifter,  114 

BAGS,  135,  142,  159,  161,  173 

Barrel,  173,  174 

Boiler, 

clothes,  191,  195,  196,  197 

double,  162 

hot    water,    72,    74,    79,    83, 

85-87 

Bread,  cutting  of,  39 
Bread  box,  42,  43 

CABINET, 

for    fireless    cooker    outfit, 

150-151 
kitchen,  116-118 


Card    system,    215-218,    220, 
222-225,  227 

cost  of  outfit  for,  225 
^Care  of, 

aluminum  ware,  183 

brass,  copper,  tin,  184 

frying  pans,  183 

granite  ware,  184 

nickel  ware,  185 

silverware,  185-186 

steel  knives  and  forks,  186- 
187 

zinc,  1 86 
Cellar, 

for  cold  closet,  56,  206,  207 
Chafing    dish,    159,    163,    164, 

166 
Chemicals, 

for  cleaning,  58,  60,  180-181, 
185 

for  laundry  work,  191 
Children,      10,     60,     61,     62, 

188 

Circulation,  123,  125 
Cleaning, 

cloths,  58,  59,  60,  61 

implements  and  tools,  180- 

181 
Cleaning  outfit,  17,  60,  138 

special  place  for,  47 

cost  of  inexpensive,  134,  142 
Cleaning  materials,  180 
Cleat,  59,  60,  62 
Closet, 

cold,  54-56,  61,  62,  188,  i  £9 

for  children's  wraps,  61,  62 

for  cleaning   outfit,   47,   58, 

59 

for  groceries,  48 
for    incoming    supplies,    57, 

213 


235 


236 


INDEX 


for   keeping    dishes    warm, 
68 

for  light  housekeeping,  164 

for  provisions,  52 

for  wraps,  17,  47,  61 
Cloths, 

for  cleaning,  58,  59,  60,  61 
Coal, 

for  cooking,  89-91 

for    heating    water    supply, 

70-79 
Coal  range  (see  also  range) 

separate  flue  needed  for,  25 

in  connection  with  gas,  89, 

90,  91 

Coat-bar,  61,  62 
Concentration,  14,  44 
Conserve. 

energy 'of  worker,  9,  15,  37, 
42,  44 

flavors,  152 

Conserving,  8,  42,  147,  222 
Conservation,  5,  8,  128,  145 
Cold  storage, 

facilities,  53 

for  vegetables,  47 

place  for,  56 
Concentration, 

of  working  processes,  14 
Containers,  17,  42 

for   cooking   supplies,    117- 
118 

for  cooked  food,  133 

sanitary  care  of,  188-189 
Consultations,  x,  xi 
Cooperative,  190 
Cooperatively,    171 
Cooperation,    viii,     171,     174, 

176,  179 

Coordinate,  37,  39 
Coordination  of,  37,  44 

DISHES, 

for   cooked    food,    41,    132, 

133. 

grouping  of,  43,  44 
Dish-washing,  16,  164,  175-179 
care  of  hands  after,  179 
facilities  for,  15 


getting    dishes    ready    for, 

176-177,  182 
outfit  to  lighten,  176 
simplification  of,    175,   177- 

179 

time  required  for,  179 
Electric, 

appliance,  94 

fireless  cooker,  94 

iron,    191,    192-194 

washing  machine,  194 
Electricity, 

for  cooking,  93-94,  127 

for  light  housekeeping,   165 

to  light  kitchen,  12,  26 
Equipment, 

approximate  prices  of,   129 

choice  of,  96 

coordination  of,  9,  37,  42 

cost    of    inexpensive    outfit 
of,  I35-I.37 

cost    of    liberal    outfit    of, 

1387143 

for  dining-room,  158-159 
for  light  housekeeping,  144, 

163-169 

for  small  family,  143-144 
labor-saving,    9,     129,     130, 

145-162 

lists  of,  131-143,  157-159 
miscellaneous,  134 
of    Colonial   kitchens,    127- 

128 

principles    governing   selec- 
tion of,  128,  162 
promoting  accuracy,  130 
scientific   grouping   of,   40- 

42 

Fireless  cooker,  145-153 
advantages  of,  151 
advantageous   use   of,    145- 

148 

as  a  fuel  saver,  145 
as  a  saver  of  energy,  145 
care  of,   149 
combination  gas  stove  and, 

no 

cost  of,  134,  143,  166 
development  of,  92 


INDEX 


237 


finished  in,  96 

for  light-housekeeping,   163 

location  of,   142 

manufacture  of,  128 

perfection  of,  88 

selection  of,  150 

stand  for,  150-151 

uses  of,  148-150 

used  with  gas  stoves,   106, 

108,  109,  no,  143 
used   with   kerosene    stove, 

94,  105 

well   insulated,    129 
Floor,  31-35 

cement,  34-35 

cost  of,  32-33 

hard-wood,  33 

treatment  of,  31,  33 
Floor  covering,  31 
Flue,  17,  25 
Fuel,  6,  62,  65,  88-98 
Furnace,   heating  water   sup- 
ply, 73-74,  84 

GARBAGE,  47,  48,  170-174 
box  to  conceal,  172 
collection  of,  171,  174 
cost  of  destroyers  of,  170- 

171 

cost  of  can  for,  171 
cost    of    underground    re- 
ceiver for  172,  173 
daily  care  of,  173,  174 

Gas, 

advantages  of,  93,  105 
as  a  fuel,  91-93,  105 
for  burning  garbage,  170 
for  heating  kitchen,  66 
for  heating  hot-water  sup- 
ply, 80-87. 

for  light  housekeeping,  165 
for  lighting  kitchen,  26 

Gas  heat  controller,  note,  114 

Gas  heaters,  80-85 
cost  of,  86,  87 
different   types    of,    80,    81, 
83,  84,  85 

Gas  kitchen,  67 

Gas  oven,  95 


Gas  pipes,  25 

Gas   range,   67,   69    (see  Gas 

Stoves) 
Gas  stoves,  65,  69,  136 

care  of,  187 

choice  of,  93,  106-112 

construction  of,  107 
cost  of,  108-111,  114 

equipment  needed  with,  114 

flue  connection  of,  25 

for  rental,  93 

for  supplementary  cooking, 
66 

set  out  from  wall,  69 

types  of,  93,  106,  in 
Grill,  143 

HANDS,  CARE  OF,  179 
Heating  water  supply,  17,  70- 

86 
by  means  of  coal  range,  64, 

105 

by  means  of  furnace,  66 
by  means  of  laundry  stove, 

Home,  ix,  xii,  xiii,   10 
Home-maker,  x,  xii,  i,  4,  10, 

n,  18,  19 
Home-making, 

author's   experience   in,   vi, 

xii 
controlled  by  circumstance, 

10 

successful,   n,  212 
Hot  water  heating,  70-87 
by  means   of  coils   in   fur- 
nace, 73-74 

by  means  of  gas,  80-85 
by  means  of  kerosene,  85 
by  means  of  kitchen  range, 

71-73 

by  means  of  laundry  heat- 
er, 74-79 

cost  of,  86-87 

moderate  maintenance  cost 
of,  70,  77,  79,  82,  83,  85, 
136 
Hot  water  supply, 

abundant,  70 


INDEX 


minimum  cost  of,  77,  79 
Housekeeping         Experiment 
Station,    viii,    x,    76,    77, 
152,    179,    201,    208,    217, 
226 

INSULATION,     in,     119,     123, 

150 

Insulated,    107,    no,    129,    145 
Interruptions,  57,  58 
Ironing  (see  laundry  work) 
board,  195 
description        of        ironing 

board,  195,  196 
labor-saving  equipment  for, 

192,  193-194 
reducing    amount    of,    191, 

192 
upstairs  room  for,  192 

JACKET, 

for  hot  water  boiler  72-73, 

75,  76,  77,  78,  82,  83,  86 
Jacketing,  72,  83,  85 
Jogger,  224,  225,  226 

KALSOMINE,  29 
Kitchenette,  51 
Kerosene, 

advantages  as  a  fuel,  94,  105 

can,  63 

compared  with  alcohol,  27 

cost  of,  98 

disadvantages  in  use  of,  27 

equipment  needed  for,  114 

for  cleaning,  182,  187 

heaters,  85-^6 

law  regulating  specific  grav- 
ity of,  96 

safety  of,  96 

to  heat  kitchen,  66 

to  light  kitchen,  27 
Kerosene  heater,  portable,  66 
Kerosene  stove,  65,  94,  96,  112, 
136 

different  types  of,  95 

repair  parts  to,  95 
Kitchen, 

advantages  of  small,   13-14 


artificial  lighting  of,  26-27 
as  a  training  school,  n 
awkwardly  arranged,  ix 
business  side  of,  199-218 
care  in  planning  9,  17,  18 
v  choice  of  methods  and  ma- 
terials, 19-20 
concentration   of    processes 

in,  44 
cost  of  furnishing,  135-138, 

142-143 

cost  of  wall  finish,  28-30 
flue  connections  of,  17 
v  finish  of  walls  and  ceilings, 

19,  27-28 
\    grouping   of   equipment   in, 

9,  37-44 

heating  of,  16 

in  Colonial  days,  12 

large,  12,  13 

needs  of  modern,  4,  13,  14- 
19,  26,  47,  63 

outfit  of  paper  for,  161 

places ^for  utensils  in,  51-53 

plumbing,   17,   103-104 

records,  199 

relation  to  flues,  etc.,  25,  26 

relation  to  other  rooms,  21- 

23 

*  selection    of    fixed    equip- 
ment  for,  99-126 

selection  of  moveable  equip- 
ment for,  127-144 

selection     of     labor-saving 
equipment  for,   145-162 

size  of  13,  14,  20-21,  190 

small  conveniences  for,  160- 
161 

small   necessities    for,    159- 
160 

transformed,  44 

without  butler's  pantry,  42 

without  closet  facilities,  48 
Kitchen  cabinets, 

cost  of,  116,  140 

cost    of    home-made,    117- 
118,  140 

description  of,  116-118 
Kitchen  floor,  31-35 


INDEX 


239 


cement  preparations  for,  34- 

35 

daily  care  of,  187-188 

linoleum  for,  31-32 

tile  for,  35 

treatment  of,  33-34 
Kitchen  walls  and  ceilings,  19, 
27-30 

cost  of  wall  finish,  28-30 

tile  for,  30 

treatment  of  old,  28 
Kitchen  windows, 

arrangement  of,    17,  23-25, 

164 

Kitchen  wood -work,  35-36 
Kitchenette,  44,  51,   102,   123, 

164 
LABOR-SAVING,  viii, 

equipment,  9,    129,   145-162, 
176 

laundry  equipment,  193-196 
Laundry     (see    Ironing    and 
Washing),    190-198 

arrangements,  17 

cost  of  outfit  for,  138,  197 

problem  solved,  198 

small  upstairs,  20 
Laundry  heater, 

advantages  of,  75,  76,  136 

best  location  for,  79 

care  of,  79 

cost  of  installing,  86,  136 

cost  of  maintenance,  76,  77, 

136 
Laundry  tubs, 

portable,  195,  197 

stationary,  190,  191 
Laundry  work, 

cost  of  outfit  for,  138,  197 

not  adapted  to  kitchen,  190 

solved  by  cooperation,  190 

reduced  in  amount,  191-193 
Lighting,  23 

artificial,  26-27 
Light     housekeeping     equip- 
ment, 

essentials  of,  163-166 

dining-room  equipment  for, 
167-168 


kitchen  equipment  for,  166- 

167 
Light      housekeeping      outfit, 

168-169 
Linen, 

dining-room,    158,    164 
kitchen,  134,  142 
Linoleum, 

accuracy  in  measuring,  31 
advantages  as  a  floor  cov- 
ering, 31 
precautions  regarding,  32 

NEWSPAPERS,    135,    159,    161, 
173,  183 

OPERATING  EXPENSES,  84,  96 
Oven,  portable,  69,  95,  illus., 
109 

PAINT, 

for  kitchen  floor,  33,  34 

for  walls,  29 

for  wood-work,  35-36 

washable  paint,  30 
Pantry, 

butler's,  21-22,  42,  43 

storage,  209 
Place  for, 

coal  bin,  63 

for  kitchen  fuels,  62 

for  kitchen  utensils,  51 
Planning, 

kitchen,  12-36 
Plaster,  19,  27-28 
Plumbing,  99,  100,  103,  104 
Pot-cover,  160 
Principle, 

in  choice  of  contractor,  20 

in  choice  of  equipment,  96, 
128,162 

in  choice    of    methods    and 
materials,  19 

in  grouping  equipment,  4 

of  banking,  203 

of    coordination    of    proc- 
esses, 44 

of  conservation  5 


240 


INDEX 


of  engineering,  x 

of  kitchen  construction  14- 

of  kitchen  efficiency  44-45 
of      kitchen     management, 

188 
of  solving  laundry  question, 

192-193,  198 

of  wise  expenditure,  205 
without  vital  changes  in,  4 
Processes,  10,  39,  43 
automatic,  9 

analysis  of  kitchen,  37-39 
analysis  of  dining-room,  43- 

44 
concentration    of    working, 

44 

coordination  of,  16,  44 
housekeeping,  10 
Provision, 
for   incoming   supplies,    17, 

47,  57 
for  keeping   food  cold,    17, 

47 

for  keeping  food  and  dishes 
warm,  17,  47,  57,  66-69 

QUIET  CORNER, 
cost  of  equipment,  226-227 
need  for,  219-228 

RADIATOR, 
of  fireless  cooker,  146,  148, 

150 
for  heating  kitchen,  143 

Radiation, 

prevention  of  loss  of  heat 
by,  75,  77,  78,  81,  82,  85 

Range  (coal), 
advantages  of,  105 
connected  with  flue,  25 
cost   of,   91,    112,    113,    137, 

143 

cost  of  installing,  113 
daily  care  of,  187 
description  and  uses  of,  89- 

Qi 
displacement  of,  89 


economical  management  of, 

72,  89,  90,  105,  147 
equipped  with  ash  chute,  90 
equipped  with  thermometer, 

.9° 

kitchen  heated  by,  66 
outfit  needed  with,  113 
use  in  restaurants,  91 
wastefulness  of,  65,  72 
water  supply  heated  by,  71- 

73 

Range,  electric,  94 
Records, 
advantage   of   careful,   204, 

215,  216-217,  220 
complete,  205 
for  care  of  equipment,  217- 

218 

kitchen,   199,  214-216 
of  cooking,  216 
of  cooking  temperature,  146 
of  fuel  expense,  74,  77,  78 
of  heating  cost,  74 
topics  included  in,  199,  214 
Refrigerator,  17,  43,  47,  1187- 

126 

chest,  134,  166 
circulation   of   air   in,    119- 

120 

daily  care  of,  125-126,  188 
different  types  of,  121-123 
drain-pipe  of,  124 
equipped  with  coils,  124 
equipped    with    rear    icing- 
door,  123-124 
essential     requirements     of, 

110^-121,  124-125 
for  light-housekeeping,   165 
how    to    use    economically, 

120,  125-126 
location  for,  22,  123 

SALAD  OUTFIT,  141 
Sal  soda,  182,  183 
Scientific  grouping,  37-45 
Scissors,  141,  160-161 
Serving  dish  cookery,  163 
Shelf, 
work,  22,  50 


INDEX 


241 


Shelves, 

advantage  of  open,  51 
advantage  of  narrow,  22,  45, 

47 

above  sink,  51,  52 

above  work-table,  50 

best  height  for,  45 

for  kitchen   utensils,   5i~53 

for  sink  solutions,  51 

in  coat  closet,  61 

in  cold  closet,  54,  55,  56 

in  provision  closet,  53 

special,  42,  52 

suspend  from  edge  of,  45 

warming,  67,  69 
Sink,  16,  18 

articles  to  group  near,  40, 
131-132 

convenient  height  for,  99 

daily  care  of,  104,  178,  181, 
182 

daily  care  of  iron,  182 

drain-boards  of,  102-103, 
177 

group  near,  40,  41,  45 

kinds  of,  99-102,  137,  143 

location  of,  39,  47 

protecting  metal  parts  of, 
182 

sanitary  installation  of, 
103-104 

trap,  104 

weekly  care  of,  182 
Silver, 

cleaning  of,  185-186 
Standard, 

type,  4. 
Standardize,  4 
Standardizing,  3 
Standard  list, 

of  groceries,  209,  210 
Steam-cooking,  151-155,  166 

advantages  of,  152 

economy  of,  152 
Steamers, 

care  of,  154 

different  types  of,  42,  92,  94, 
105,  108,  114,  142,  153, 
163,  164 


illustration  of  153,  154 
Storage  conveniences, 

for  fuel,  47 

for  groceries,  48-51 
System, 

efficient,  9 

in  dish-washing,  175 

of  account  keeping,  200,  201 

of  keeping  track  of  things, 
221 

of  purchasing  supplies,  206, 
207 

of  telephone  ordering,  211 
Stove,  16,  38,  40,  45,  47,  64, 

65 
alcohol,  65,  97,  98,  in,  112, 

136 
coal     (see     range),    89-91, 

112 

daily  care  of,  187 
electric,  159 
gas,  65,  69,  93,  106,  109,  1 10, 

in,  136 

heating  by  means  of,  64,  65 
kerosene,  65,  94-96,  in,  112, 

136 

supplementary,  76 
wood,  65,  89 
Supplies, 

care  of  perishable,  207 
cash  purchasing  of,  213 
checking  up,  213-214 
closet  for  in-coming,  57 
keeping  track  of,   207-209, 

211,  214 
purchasing   of    s.    in   small 

quantities,  206 
purchasing    of    s.    in    large 

quantities,  56,  206-207 
standard  list  of,  209,  210 
storage  of,  164,  207 
returning  imperfect,  214 

TABLE, 

kitchen    115 

pastry,  115,  116 

type  of,  115 

work,  47,  50,  132 
Tea-making,  38-39 


242 


INDEX 


Temperature, 

cooking,  130 

of  a  refrigerator,   119,   121, 
123,  124 

records  for  fireless  cooker, 

146,  148 

Thermometer,  130 
Tile, 

for  kitchen  floor,  35 

for  kitchen  walls,  30 
Tools, 

for  housekeeper,  61,   181 
Trap,  103,  104 

UTENSILS, 
care  of,  183-187 
choice  of,  96,  128,  162 
serving      double      purpose, 
161-162,  197 

VACUUM    WASHER,    194,    195, 

196 

Vent- valve,     150     (see     glos- 
sary) 
Ventilation, 

of  cold  closet,  55,  56 
of  fireless  cooker,  149 
of  kitchen,  23,  24,  25,  164 
Ventilated,  16,  207 

WALL, 

paper,  30 

treatment  of,  27,  28 
Wall-space, 

arranged  to  best  advantage, 

49 

avoid  breaking  up,  50 
economical  use  of,  115,  117, 

118 


in  closet,  53 

utilized   to  best  advantage, 

49 
Washing  (see  laundry  work) 

cost  of  outfit  for,  138,  197 
Washing    machine,    viii,    194, 

195 
Water-back,  71,72,  86,  91,  105, 

H3 
cost  of  installing,  86 

Wheel-cart,  130 
cost  of,  134,  I55-IS7 
use  in  kitchen,  176,  177 
use   in    serving   meals,    156, 

159,  166 
use  in  setting  table,  155,  156 

Windows,  17,  23-25,  50 

Wood, 
advantages  as  a  fuel,  88-89 

Wood-work,  35-36 

Work  shelf, 
dimensions  of,  50 
for  bread,  etc.,  17,  22 

Work-table,  18,  39,  50 
articles  to  group  near,  41, 

,   47'i'32 

best  dimensions  for,  50 

convenient  height,  45 
cost  of,  115 
kinds  of,  115-116 
with  supply  shelves,  49 

ZINC, 

care  of,  186 

for    drain-boards,    101,    103 
for  gas  stove  cabinet,  108 
for  kitchen  cabinet,  117 
for  kitchen  table,  115 
for  work  table,  50 
in  silver-cleaning,  186 


RETURN  TO  the  circulation  desk  of  any 
University  of  California  Library 
or  to  the 

NORTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FACILITY 
Bldg.  400,  Richmond  Field  Station 
University  of  California 
Richmond,  CA  94804-4698 

ALL  BOOKS  MAY  BE  RECALLED  AFTER  7  DAYS 
2-month  loans  may  be  renewed  by  calling 

(415)642-6233 
1-year  loans  may  be  recharged  by  bringing  books 

to  NRLF 
Renewals  and  recharges  may  be  made  4  days 

prior  to  due  date 

DUE  AS  STAMPED  BELOW 


MAY  30 1988 


JAN  o  2  2001 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 


